Statistics

Population

The entire group you're studying

Sample

A smaller group selected from the population for analysis

Variable

A measurable characteristic that varies among individuals

Descriptive Statistics

Summarize or describe features of a dataset

Inferential Statistics

Use samples data to make generalizations about a population

Statistic

A numerical value calculated from a sampleP

Parameter

A numerical value that describes a population

Categorical Variable

Attributes of a person

Numerical Variables

Anything that can be counted

Discrete Numerical Variables

Countable

Continuous Numerical Variables

Measurable

Level of Measurement

Refers to how a variable’s values are categorized and what type of mathematical operations are meaningful

Nominal

Categories without orderO

rdinal

Categories with a logical order

Interval

Numeric values with equal spacing, but no true zeroRa

Ratio

Numeric values with equal spacing and a true zero