Making Inferences from Samples
Aligned to S-IC.A.1 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.
What this lesson teaches
Statistics uses data from a random sample to draw conclusions about a whole population. A well-chosen random sample lets a statistic, such as the sample mean, estimate an unknown population parameter.
Worked example
To estimate the average height of 2,000 students, measure a random sample of 50. If the sample mean is 165 cm, that estimates the population mean; a different random sample would give a slightly different estimate.
Practice questions
- What is the difference between a sample and a population?
- Why should a sample be chosen randomly?
- A poll of 500 voters estimates support at 54%. What population is being inferred about?
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Hacer inferencias a partir de muestras
La estadística usa datos de una muestra aleatoria para sacar conclusiones sobre toda una población. Una muestra aleatoria bien elegida permite que un estadístico, como la media muestral, estime un parámetro poblacional desconocido.
Ejemplo: Para estimar la estatura promedio de 2,000 estudiantes, mide una muestra aleatoria de 50. Si la media muestral es 165 cm, eso estima la media poblacional; una muestra aleatoria distinta daría una estimación algo diferente.
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