Question

classify the study as either descriptive or inferential. explain your answer. data from a sample of citizens of a certain country yielded the following estimates of average tv viewing time per month for all citizens 2 years old and older. the times are in hours and minutes, q1 stands for first quarter.

viewing method	q1 2011	q1 2010	change (%)
watching timeshifted tv	10:04	9:02	11.4
dvr playback	26:30	25:45	2.9
using the internet on a computer	25:40	25:50	-0.6
watching video on internet	4:38	3:26	35.0
mobile subscribers watching video on a mobile phone	4:33	3:39	24.7

is the study descriptive or inferential?

a. the study is descriptive, because the statistics are used to make an inference about the population.

b. the study is descriptive, because the statistics are used to describe the sample.

c. the study is inferential, because the statistics are used to describe the sample.

d. the study is inferential, because the statistics are used to make an inference about the population.

Explanation:

To determine if the study is descriptive or inferential, we recall the definitions: Descriptive statistics summarize or describe a sample, while inferential statistics use sample data to make inferences about a population. Here, data from a sample of citizens is used to estimate (infer) the average TV viewing time for all citizens (the population). Option D correctly states this: the study is inferential because the statistics are used to make an inference about the population. Option A is wrong because descriptive doesn't involve inference. Option B is wrong as the goal is to infer about the population, not just describe the sample. Option C is wrong as inferential isn't about describing the sample.

Answer:

D. The study is inferential, because the statistics are used to make an inference about the population.