A survey of 40 gym members from a large gym finds an average work out duration is 52 minutes. Is this a parameter or a statistic?

• A. Parameter
• B. Statistic

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between a parameter and a statistic: A parameter is a numerical value that describes a characteristic of a population, while a statistic is a numerical value that describes a characteristic of a sample.
2. Identify the population and the sample in the problem: The population is all the gym members of the large gym, and the sample is the 40 gym members surveyed.
3. Determine what the average workout duration of 52 minutes represents: Since this average is calculated from the sample of 40 gym members, it is a characteristic of the sample.
4. Conclude that the average workout duration of 52 minutes is a statistic because it describes a characteristic of the sample, not the entire population.
5. Remember that statistics are used to make inferences about parameters, which are the true values for the entire population.