Question

1. which of the following statements accurately describes the difference between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics?

a) descriptive statistics are used to summarize data, while inferential statistics are used to draw conclusions about a population based on a sample.
b) inferential statistics are used to draw conclusions about a population based on a sample, while descriptive statistics are used to summarize data.
c) descriptive statistics involve analyzing the relationships between variables, while inferential statistics involve calculating measures of mean and variance.
d) inferential statistics and descriptive statistics refer to the same set of statistical techniques used for summarizing data.

Explanation:

Descriptive statistics summarize data from a sample or population, like mean and variance. Inferential statistics make conclusions about a population using sample data, such as hypothesis - testing. Option A correctly states that descriptive statistics summarize data about a population based on a sample, and inferential statistics draw conclusions about a population from a sample.

Answer:

A. Descriptive statistics are used to summarize data about a population based on a sample, while inferential statistics are used to draw conclusions about a population based on a sample.