What is a Statistical Question?

A statistical question is a question that can be answered by collecting and analyzing data.

Here are some ways to tell if a question is a statistical question:

1. The question asks for a numerical or quantitative answer. For example, “How many students in the class have a dog as a pet?”
2. The question requires data to answer. For example, “What is the average height of students in the class?”
3. The question asks about a population or sample. For example, “What proportion of students in the class prefer pizza over hamburgers?”

A statistical question requires data with variability because it is the variability in the data that makes the question interesting and informative. For example, a question like “What is the height of the students in the class?” is not a statistical question because the answer is a fixed value that does not vary. However, a question like “What is the range of heights of the students in the class?” is a statistical question because it requires data with variability to answer.

Here are some examples of statistical questions:

1. What is the average temperature in the city during the summer months?
2. How many people in the town use public transportation to commute to work?
3. What is the relationship between hours of sleep and academic performance in students?
4. What is the distribution of ages in the population of the country?
5. What is the difference in average salary between people with a college degree and people without a college degree?