Question: how is a sample related to a population?

Answer: a sample is a subset of a population.

Question: why is a sample used more often than a population?

Answer: it is usually impossible to count every single member of a population. Counting every single member of the population is called a census.

Question: a parameter is a numerical description of a _____ characteristic. A statistic is a numerical description of a ____ characteristic.

Answer: population, sample

Question: the two branches of statistics are:

Answer: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

Question: descriptive statistics involves what?

Answer: organization, summarization, and display of data

Question: inferential statistics involves what?

Answer: using a sample to draw conclusions about a population.

Question: T/F: a statistic is a measure that describes a population characteristic

Answer: False. A statistic is a measure that describes a sample characteristic.

Question: T/F: it is impossible for the census Bureau to obtain all the census data about the population of the United States.

Answer: True. it is impossible to gather information about the entire population of any country because the population is always changing.

Question: T/F: a population is the collection of some outcomes, responses, measurements, or counts that of interest.

Answer: False. A population is the collection of all outcomes, responses, measurements, or counts that of interest.

Question: T/F: a sample statistic will not change from sample to sample.

Answer: The statement is false. A sample statistic can change from sample to sample.