notes/education/statistics/Sampling.md
2024-01-18 13:48:01 -07:00

966 B

(Ch 19, stat 1040)

Term Definition
Qualitative A descriptive value (red, blue, high, low)
Quantitative A numerical value (7, 8, 9)
Population The entire set of existing units that investigators wish to study
Sample A portion or subset of the population
Parameter A number that describes a characteristic of a population (10% of US senators voted for something)
Statistic A number that describes a sample characteristic (71% of Americans feel that ...)

A global consumer survey reported that 6% of US taxpayers used or owned cryptocurrency in 2020. The US government is interested in knowing if this percentage has increased. The University of Chicago surveys 1,004 taxpayers and finds that 13% have used or owned crypto in the past year (2021)

In the above example:

  • The population was US taxpayers
  • The parameter was 6%
  • The sample was 1004 taxpayers
  • The statistic was 13%