What term describes a descriptive measure computed from a sample?

• A. Descriptive measure
• B. Statistic
• C. Parameter
• D. Measures of central tendency

Answer: (B)

When you summarize the data you collected, if the summary is computed from a sample, that summary is called a statistic. It serves as an estimate of the corresponding value for the whole population, which is called a parameter. For example, the average of your sample (the sample mean) is a statistic, not a parameter.

Descriptive measure is a broad phrase for any summary of data, but it doesn’t specify the source. A parameter describes the entire population, not just the sample. Measures of central tendency (like the mean or median) are a type of statistic, but not all descriptive measures are central-tendency measures.