You ask five of your classmates about their height. On the basis of this information, you state that the average height of the students in the sample is 170 cm. Which of the following is this an example of?
A) Descriptive statistics.
B) Inferential statistics.
C) A census.
D) A population parameter.

Question

You ask five of your classmates about their height. On the basis of this information, you state that the average height of the students in the sample is 170 cm. Which of the following is this an example of? 
A) Descriptive statistics.
B) Inferential statistics.
C) A census.
D) A population parameter.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Descriptive statistics involve summarizing and describing a sample or population, such as computing measures of central tendency (like the mean or average) and measures of variability (like the standard deviation). In this scenario, the statement about the average height of the sample describes the sample itself and is an example of descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics involve making predictions or generalizations about a population based on a sample, but there is no mention of a larger population in this scenario. A census would involve collecting data from an entire population, not just a sample. A population parameter is a numerical value that describes a characteristic of a population, but again, there is no mention of a larger population in this scenario.

You Ask Five of Your Classmates About Their Height