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Ch. 1 - Introduction to Statistics
Triola - Elementary Statistics 14th Edition
Triola14th EditionElementary StatisticsISBN: 9780137366446Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksTriola 14th EditionCh. 1 - Introduction to StatisticsProblem 1.2.6
Chapter 1, Problem 1.2.6

In Exercises 5–12, identify whether the given value is a statistic or a parameter.
Drivers According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are 212 million licensed drivers in the United States.

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Understand the difference between a statistic and a parameter. A statistic is a numerical value that describes a sample, while a parameter is a numerical value that describes a population.
Identify the context of the given value. The problem states that there are 212 million licensed drivers in the United States.
Determine whether the value represents a sample or the entire population. In this case, the value refers to all licensed drivers in the United States, which is the entire population.
Since the value describes the entire population, it is considered a parameter.
Conclude that the given value of 212 million licensed drivers is a parameter because it represents a characteristic of the entire population of drivers in the United States.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Statistic

A statistic is a numerical value that describes a characteristic of a sample, which is a subset of a larger population. It is used to estimate or infer properties about the population from which the sample is drawn. For example, if a survey of 1,000 drivers finds that 60% support a new traffic law, this percentage is a statistic.
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Parameters vs. Statistics

Parameter

A parameter is a numerical value that describes a characteristic of an entire population. It is a fixed value that is usually unknown and can only be estimated through statistics derived from samples. In the context of the question, the total number of licensed drivers in the U.S. is a parameter because it refers to the entire population of drivers.
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Parameters vs. Statistics

Population vs. Sample

In statistics, a population includes all members of a specified group, while a sample is a subset of that population selected for analysis. Understanding the distinction is crucial for determining whether a value is a statistic or a parameter. In the given example, the 212 million licensed drivers represent the entire population, not a sample.
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Sampling Distribution of Sample Proportion
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