PSYC 354 STATISTICS FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE | DR. MAGNUSON LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
What is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics? - ANS ✔✔Descriptive
Statistics describe the data whereas Inferential Statistics make inferences about a population
using a sample.
What is an example of descriptive statistics? - ANS ✔✔Suppose a pet shop sells cats, dogs, birds
and fish. If 100 pets are sold, and 40 out of the 100 were dogs, then one description of the data
on the pets sold would be that 40% were dogs.
This same pet shop may conduct a study on the number of fish sold each day for one month and
determine that an average of 10 fish were sold each day.
What is an example of inferential statistics? - ANS ✔✔A coach is interested in how many
cartwheels the average college freshmen at his university can do. Eight volunteers from the
freshman class step forward. After observing their performance, the coach concludes that
college freshmen can do an average of 16 cartwheels in a row without stopping.
What is the difference between a population and a sample? - ANS ✔✔A population is all
members of a defined group that we are studying or collecting information on for data driven
decisions.
A sample is a proportion of the population, a slice of it, a part of it and all its characteristics. This
can only truly represent the population if it is large and random enough.
What are the different ways to quantify variables? - ANS ✔✔Nominal, Ordinal, and Scale
Variables.
What are the four ways to visualize distribution? - ANS ✔✔Frequency tables, Histograms, Stem-
N-Leaf Plots, and Frequency Polygons.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
What is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics? - ANS ✔✔Descriptive
Statistics describe the data whereas Inferential Statistics make inferences about a population
using a sample.
What is an example of descriptive statistics? - ANS ✔✔Suppose a pet shop sells cats, dogs, birds
and fish. If 100 pets are sold, and 40 out of the 100 were dogs, then one description of the data
on the pets sold would be that 40% were dogs.
This same pet shop may conduct a study on the number of fish sold each day for one month and
determine that an average of 10 fish were sold each day.
What is an example of inferential statistics? - ANS ✔✔A coach is interested in how many
cartwheels the average college freshmen at his university can do. Eight volunteers from the
freshman class step forward. After observing their performance, the coach concludes that
college freshmen can do an average of 16 cartwheels in a row without stopping.
What is the difference between a population and a sample? - ANS ✔✔A population is all
members of a defined group that we are studying or collecting information on for data driven
decisions.
A sample is a proportion of the population, a slice of it, a part of it and all its characteristics. This
can only truly represent the population if it is large and random enough.
What are the different ways to quantify variables? - ANS ✔✔Nominal, Ordinal, and Scale
Variables.
What are the four ways to visualize distribution? - ANS ✔✔Frequency tables, Histograms, Stem-
N-Leaf Plots, and Frequency Polygons.
