Key takeaway: A statistical question is one that expects variability in the answers, so collecting data from many people or things is needed to answer it.
Grade 66.SP.A.1Statistics and Data
Definition of Statistical Question
A statistical question is a question you can only answer by gathering data, because the answers are expected to differ from one person or object to the next. “How many pets does each student at Lincoln Middle School have?” is one: one student has none, another has three, another has seven.
A question with exactly one correct answer is not statistical. “How tall is the Space Needle?” gets a single value. The key sign is variability. Statistical questions often use words like each, typical, usually or most, and they ask about a group. To answer one, you collect data, display it, and describe the center and spread.
Notation
There is no formula, only a test. Ask yourself:
- Will I get more than one different answer when I collect data?
- Do I need to look at a group, not one case?
If both answers are yes, the question is statistical.
Key facts
- Variability, meaning answers that differ, is what makes a question statistical.
- The answer is summarized with measures of center and spread, not a single fact.
- Mentioning a group does not by itself make a question statistical.
- Good ones are specific about who or what is asked and when.
Statistical Question example
Which of these are statistical questions? (A) How many people live in Mr. Alvarez’s house? (B) How many pets does each student at Lincoln Middle School own? (C) What is the tallest height of the Space Needle?
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(A) asks about one house and has one answer, so it is not statistical.
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(B) asks about a group, and the number of pets differs from student to student, so it is statistical.
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(C) has one fixed answer, so it is not statistical.
Only question (B) is a statistical question.
Common mistake
Watch out
Oren says “How many students are in the school?” is statistical because it is about a group.
Why it is wrong
The question names a group, but the answer is one number found by counting. Nothing varies, so no data set is needed. Asking “How many minutes does each student spend on the bus?” would vary and so would be statistical.
Related terms and lessons
Browse the glossary: A–Z list · Grade 6 vocabulary · Statistics and Data