What is the difference between a parameter and a statistic?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the distinction between two statistical concepts: 'parameter' and 'statistic'. This involves explaining their definitions and roles in statistical analysis.
Answer
A parameter is a characteristic or measure obtained from a population, while a statistic is a characteristic or measure obtained from a sample.
The final answer is A parameter is a characteristic or measure obtained from a population, while a statistic is a characteristic or measure obtained from a sample.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is A parameter is a characteristic or measure obtained from a population, while a statistic is a characteristic or measure obtained from a sample.
More Information
In statistics, it's important to distinguish between these two because parameters are usually unknown and are estimated using statistics derived from sample data.
Tips
A common mistake is to confuse parameters with statistics due to their close relationship; remember, parameters pertain to populations, and statistics pertain to samples.
Sources
- Online Statistics Education: An Interactive Multimedia Course of Study - onlinestatbook.com
- Parameter vs Statistic - statisticshowto.com
