Numbers are invaluable. Did you know that only 12% of the world adult population are numerically literate? This being the number that is able to add, subtract, divide, multiply and in addition, able to read and interpret charts, tables, graphs, financial statements and related information. This means that 88% is unable to comprehend the above. This is why Pythagoras avers that numbers rule the universe, while Bill Gates affirms that numbers are a fundamental precept for business. This course is therefore dedicated to the foundation of practical application of numbers in real life situations.

Colleagues “Numbers do not lie”; unless they have been “manipulated,” “cooked” or “doctored”. World great leaders have thus had this to say about numbers:

a. Nathanael West observed that “Numbers constitute the only universal language.” Numbers thus is a form of language that is applied across the globe.

b. Bill Gates stated that “Know your numbers; it is the fundamental precept of business.” Numbers are therefore the foundation for any business.

c. The Philosopher Plato emphatically stated that “Numbers are the highest degree of knowledge: It is knowledge itself.”

These world leaders primarily affirm that numbers have significant value in our lives and businesses. Thus, it is fundamental for us to spend some of our precious time defining and understanding numbers.

The course has four learning objectives:

Ø How to use numbers to create impact in our lives and businesses.

Ø The application of the power of statistics in businesses.

Ø How to make numbers more user-friendly in our lives and businesses.

Ø Understanding hidden numbers and the story behind them.

This is what Peter Drucker stresses when he states that “What cannot be measured cannot be managed.” Numbers are in a strong postition to faciliate measurement of what you are doing.