Descriptive Statistics
Purpose: Summarize and describe data.
Tools: Mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, graphs, histograms.
Example: “The average test score in class was 82.”
Inferential Statistics
Purpose: Make predictions or inferences about a population based on sample data.
Tools: Hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, regression, p-values.
Example: “We are 95% confident that the average height of all students is between 5’6”
and 5’9”.”
Key Differences
Feature Descriptive Inferential
Scope Only sample From sample to population
Use Summarizing Predicting, testing hypotheses
Example Mean, SD t-test, ANOVA, CI
Summary
Descriptive statistics tell you what happened, while inferential statistics help you decide what it
means and what to expect.
This study source was downloaded by 100000899194722 from CourseHero.com on 05-30-2025 12:35:38 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/249870029/Descriptive-Statistics-453fdocx/
Purpose: Summarize and describe data.
Tools: Mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, graphs, histograms.
Example: “The average test score in class was 82.”
Inferential Statistics
Purpose: Make predictions or inferences about a population based on sample data.
Tools: Hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, regression, p-values.
Example: “We are 95% confident that the average height of all students is between 5’6”
and 5’9”.”
Key Differences
Feature Descriptive Inferential
Scope Only sample From sample to population
Use Summarizing Predicting, testing hypotheses
Example Mean, SD t-test, ANOVA, CI
Summary
Descriptive statistics tell you what happened, while inferential statistics help you decide what it
means and what to expect.
This study source was downloaded by 100000899194722 from CourseHero.com on 05-30-2025 12:35:38 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/249870029/Descriptive-Statistics-453fdocx/
