AP Stats Unit 1 Vocab

careful statistical claim

states what the data support without extending the conclusion beyond the sample or study design

categorical variable

a variable whose values are group labels, categories or names and places each observational unit into one category or group label

data

pieces of information collected about items or individuals

in context

when the statistical statement connects the statistical result to the real-world people/objects/variables/ questions being studied

investigate question

tells what the study is trying to learn from data and should determine the population, variables, study type and appropriate conclusion

observational unit

the individual person, object, animal or event from which data are collected

parameter

a numerical summary or attribute that describes a population

population

the entire group of items or individuals we want to learn about and match the group named in the investigate question

quantitative variable

a variable whose values are numerical measurements or counts

sample

the smaller group or subset of the population from which data are actually collected

sample size

the number of items or individuals in the sample

statistic

a numerical summary or attribute that describes a sample

statistical process

the cycle of asking a question, collecting data, analyzing data, and interpreting results

statistical question

a question that can be answered with data and anticipates variability in the data

statistical study

a study in which data are collected from a sample to answer an investigative questions about a larger population

variability

the natural difference experted among observations in a data set

variable

a characteristic measured or recorded about each observational unit that may very from one unit to another