Question 1

Which of the following best defines the term 'statistics' as used in the context of this course?

Accepted Answer

The science of collecting, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data to make decisions.

Question 2

A researcher surveys 1,200 college students to determine their average daily screen time. The group of 1,200 students is best described as:

Accepted Answer

A sample

Question 3

Which of the following statements describes a population parameter?

Accepted Answer

The average SAT math score of all freshmen at a university is 514.

Question 4

In a study, 18% of 1,502 surveyed U.S. adults from households earning less than $30,000 annually do not use the internet. Which of the following is the best description of the sample?

Accepted Answer

The 1,502 U.S. adults surveyed

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of inferential statistics?

Accepted Answer

Using data from a sample of 1,000 patients to estimate the average recovery time for all patients with a certain illness.

Question 6

A study reports that 32% of 1,000 surveyed 401(k) retirement plan participants do not know how many years their retirement savings might last. What is the statistic in this context?

Accepted Answer

32%

Question 7

Which of the following best distinguishes between descriptive and inferential statistics?

Accepted Answer

Descriptive statistics summarize and display data; inferential statistics use sample data to draw conclusions about a population.

Question 8

Suppose the FDA inspects several hundred retail stores and finds that 34% are not storing fish at the proper temperature. Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

34% is a sample statistic because it is based on a subset of all stores.

Question 9

A city government wants to know the average commute time for all its residents. They survey 2,000 randomly selected residents and find an average commute time of 28 minutes. Which of the following is the population?

Accepted Answer

All residents of the city

Question 10

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the use of descriptive statistics?

Accepted Answer

A company creates a pie chart showing the percentage of employees in each department.

Question 11

A university wants to know the average GPA of all its students. They calculate the average GPA of all 5,000 enrolled students. This average is:

Accepted Answer

A population parameter

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a correct statement about the relationship between a population and a sample?

Accepted Answer

A sample always contains every member of the population.

Question 13

A survey of 834 employees found that 517 said their jobs were highly stressful. Which of the following is the best description of the data set?

Accepted Answer

The responses of the 834 employees surveyed

Question 14

Which of the following best describes a sample statistic?

Accepted Answer

A numerical description of a characteristic from a subset of the population.

Question 15

A study finds that 21% of 8–11 year-olds have a social media profile. If this percentage is based on a survey of 2,000 children, what is 21% in this context?

Accepted Answer

A sample statistic

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of using inferential statistics in a real-world scenario?

Accepted Answer

A medical researcher uses data from a clinical trial to estimate the effectiveness of a new drug for all patients.

Question 17

Suppose you want to estimate the average number of hours college students sleep per night. You collect data from 300 randomly selected students. Which formula would you use to calculate the sample mean $$\bar{x}$$?

Accepted Answer

$$\bar{x} = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i$$

Question 18

A researcher wants to know the percentage of all high school students in a city who play a musical instrument. She surveys 500 students and finds that 40% play an instrument. Which of the following is the best inference she can make?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 40% of all high school students in the city play a musical instrument.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the difference between a parameter and a statistic?

Accepted Answer

A parameter describes a population, while a statistic describes a sample.

Question 20

A study of 1,000 randomly selected adults found that 60% support a new public health policy. Which of the following is the best example of using this result for inferential statistics?

Accepted Answer

Concluding that about 60% of all adults support the new public health policy.

Introduction to Statistics: Key Concepts and Foundations

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards