What is the term for a set of individuals selected from a population, usually intended to represent the population?

What is the term for a set of individuals selected from a population, usually intended to represent the population?

• A. Population
• B. Sample
• C. Parameter
• D. Statistic

Answer: (B)

In research, you distinguish between the whole group you’re interested in and a smaller group drawn from that whole to learn about it. A sample is that smaller group selected from the population with the goal of representing the population as a whole. The idea is that by studying the sample, you can infer properties of the entire population without surveying everyone. A population is the complete set of individuals you care about. A parameter is a numerical characteristic of that whole population (for example, the population mean). A statistic is a numerical value computed from the sample (for example, the sample mean). The term described here—the set of individuals chosen to stand in for the population—is the sample.

In research, you distinguish between the whole group you’re interested in and a smaller group drawn from that whole to learn about it. A sample is that smaller group selected from the population with the goal of representing the population as a whole. The idea is that by studying the sample, you can infer properties of the entire population without surveying everyone.

A population is the complete set of individuals you care about. A parameter is a numerical characteristic of that whole population (for example, the population mean). A statistic is a numerical value computed from the sample (for example, the sample mean). The term described here—the set of individuals chosen to stand in for the population—is the sample.