Stuck? Start here. Read the steps, try the problem, then check your answer.
I can…
I can tell the difference between a statistical question and a non-statistical question.
Key words
Statistical Question — A question where the answers will be different for different people.
Data — Facts and numbers you collect, like answers to a survey.
Variability — How spread out the numbers are.
Survey — Collecting facts by asking people questions.
Data distribution — How the data looks: where it sits and how spread out it is.
Steps
Question 1: "How tall is our point guard?" I think about the answer. There is only one point guard, so there is one fixed height, like 70 inches.
One answer, no variety, so this is NOT a statistical question.
Question 2: "How tall is each player on the roster?" The players have different heights: 60 in, 63 in, 58 in, 65 in.
The answers vary from player to player, so I must collect data. This IS a statistical question.
Try it
Which question is a statistical question?
A) How many students are in the school?
B) How many hours does each student in 6th grade exercise per week?
C) What time does school start?
D) How many days are in a week?
Check your answer
B) How many hours does each student exercise per week?
"How many hours does each student exercise per week?" is statistical because different students exercise different amounts — the data has variability.
Sentence starter
I know ___ because ___.
Goal: I can explain my reasoning using the words statistical question, data, variability, and survey.