A population parameter is defined as a numerical value that describes a characteristic of the ______.

A population parameter is defined as a numerical value that describes a characteristic of the ______.

• A. Population
• B. Sample
• C. Group
• D. Distribution

Answer: (A)

The main idea is distinguishing population from sample. A population parameter is a fixed numeric summary that describes a characteristic of the entire population. For example, the average height of every adult in a country or the proportion of people who meet a criterion are population parameters. We usually can’t measure everyone, so we estimate these fixed values with statistics—numbers computed from a sample, like the sample mean or sample proportion. Those sample-derived numbers are statistics, not parameters. The other options don’t fit because they refer to a subset (sample) or to a broader concept like a distribution, whereas a population parameter specifically describes a characteristic of the whole population.

The main idea is distinguishing population from sample. A population parameter is a fixed numeric summary that describes a characteristic of the entire population. For example, the average height of every adult in a country or the proportion of people who meet a criterion are population parameters. We usually can’t measure everyone, so we estimate these fixed values with statistics—numbers computed from a sample, like the sample mean or sample proportion. Those sample-derived numbers are statistics, not parameters. The other options don’t fit because they refer to a subset (sample) or to a broader concept like a distribution, whereas a population parameter specifically describes a characteristic of the whole population.