You asked ten of your classmates about their weight. On the basis of this information, you stated that the average weight of all students in your university or college is 158 pounds. This is an example of:
A) descriptive statistics
B) statistical inference
C) sample
D) population
E) sample and population

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of statistical inference because you are using the information from a sample (the ten classmates) to make an inference about the population (all students in the university or college). Descriptive statistics would involve simply describing the characteristics of the sample itself (e.g. the average weight of the ten classmates), while sample and population refer to the different groups being studied.

You Asked Ten of Your Classmates About Their Weight