Notes: Statistical Questions

What are Statistics produces data relating to a

group of individuals.
statistics?
Examples: students, teachers, etc.

Categorical data uses categories.

Examples: the breeds of dogs, types of

flowers, etc.
What is a A statistical question anticipates a variety
statistical of numerical or categorical answers.
question?
Which question below is a statistical
question? Explain your reasoning.

● How old am I?
● How old are the students in this class?

Think, pair, and share.

“How old are the students in this class?”

is a statistical question because it

anticipates a variety of students’ ages.
 Categorical data will produce different
categories.

Select the categorical statistical

question.

● What is the most popular type of

sneakers?

● What are the types of sneakers sold

at Macy’s?

Justify your reasoning. I think it is the

second one because it is asking for
more than one type of sneaker.
What is a Data sets are numbers produced in
data set? response to a statistical question. Data
sets are frequently collected from surveys
or other sources.

● So if you survey the students in this class

there will be a variety of ages (11, 11 ½,
12, 12 ½, and possibly 13). This means
there is variability.
 Determine if the following represent a
Practice
statistical question. If the question is not
statistical, rewrite the question to make it
a statistical question.

1. How many pets do you own? (How many pets

does each student in the class own)
Not Statistical---Statistical
2. What is the height of each person in this
classroom?
Statistical
3. How many letters are in each person’s first
and last name in this classroom?
Statistical
4. What is your favorite type of ice cream?
(What is each Person's favorite type of ice
cream in this classroom)
Not Statistical---Statistical

*** If time permits, choose one of the

statistical questions above and collect data
based on that question.