Question Video: Collecting Data from a Sample vs. a Whole Population Mathematics • Third Year of Preparatory School

Video Transcript

Jacob asked all the students in his class how many text messages they send on average per day. He found out that the average was 24. He then claimed that students in his school send on average 24 text messages per day. Is this figure a sample statistic or a population characteristic?

Jacob started by asking his class how many text messages they send on average per day. Jacob’s class is part of his school. We would say that Jacob’s class is the sample, while his school is the population. The population is the whole group. And the sample is a selection from the larger group.

Jacob’s class sends on average 24 text messages per day, which makes it a sample statistic for the population of the school. We can’t call it a population characteristic because everyone in the population, everyone in the school, has not been asked. Therefore, Jacob’s claim is a sample statistic.