Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Mathematics Practice Exam

What does a parameter in statistics provide?

1. Information about the sample

2. Numerical value about the population

3. Averages of outcomes

4. Results of surveys

The correct answer is: Numerical value about the population

A parameter in statistics specifically refers to a numerical value that characterizes a certain aspect of a population. For instance, this could be the population mean, population proportion, or population standard deviation. The emphasis is on describing a whole group rather than just a subset. Understanding parameters is crucial, as they provide insights into the entire population from which samples are drawn. Parameters help in making generalizations about populations based on sample data, but they remain distinct from statistics, which relate to sample data alone. Factors like averages of outcomes or results of surveys pertain more to statistical summaries or findings that are typically derived from sample data rather than the population as a whole. Therefore, recognizing that a parameter exclusively gives information about the entire population solidifies why the numerical value about the population is the correct understanding of a parameter in statistics.