Intro to statistics 1/13/26- Population vs. Sample

These flashcards cover key concepts related to understanding populations and samples in statistics, as discussed in the lecture.

What is the definition of a population in statistics?

A population is everything, everyone, every being in a specific category.

What is a sample in statistics?

A sample is a subset or small group taken from the total population.

Why do researchers typically use samples instead of populations?

Because it is often impractical or impossible to analyze entire populations, especially large ones.

What would be the population if conducting a survey on vacation habits among students?

All Hanover County students.

What is an example of a sample in the same survey context?

Students who are taking statistics class.

What kind of sampling results in a biased representation?

If the sample does not proportionally represent the population.

Why is it important to represent all demographics in a sample?

To avoid bias and ensure the sample reflects the characteristics of the population.

What is the difference between a parameter and a statistic?

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

How is the US census conducted?

Every ten years, it collects data from the entire population and provides a count of residents.

What is inferential statistics?

Statistics that allow making predictions or decisions based on data analysis.

What does descriptive statistics focus on?

Collecting, organizing, and presenting data.