Which term best describes a numerical value that describes a sample?

Which term best describes a numerical value that describes a sample?

• A. Parameter
• B. Population
• C. Statistic
• D. Sampling error

Answer: (C)

Think of a numerical value that summarizes information from just the data you collected in your sample. That kind of value is called a statistic. For example, the average you compute from your sample data is a statistic. In contrast, a parameter is the true value that would describe the entire population, which is usually unknown. The population refers to all individuals you could learn about, not a computed summary from the sample. Sampling error is the discrepancy between a sample statistic and the corresponding population parameter, not the value describing the sample itself.

Think of a numerical value that summarizes information from just the data you collected in your sample. That kind of value is called a statistic. For example, the average you compute from your sample data is a statistic. In contrast, a parameter is the true value that would describe the entire population, which is usually unknown. The population refers to all individuals you could learn about, not a computed summary from the sample. Sampling error is the discrepancy between a sample statistic and the corresponding population parameter, not the value describing the sample itself.