EXAMPLE 10 Parameters and statistics

For the following scenarios, state whether the indicated measure is a statistic or a parameter.

  1. The average income of the countries in all seven continents
  2. The average income of the countries in Europe and North America
  3. The shortest (in time) of all of Beethoven's nine symphonies
  4. The shortest (in time) of Beethoven's 5th, 6th, and 9th symphonies

Solution

  1. Because all seven continents represent a population, the average income is a parameter.
  2. Only two of the seven continents are represented, so the average income of this sample is a statistic.
  3. Since all of Beethoven's nine symphonies represent a population, the shortest time is a parameter.
  4. Only three of the nine symphonies are represented, so the shortest time of this sample is a statistic.

NOW YOU CAN DO

Exercises 46–48.