Statistical Questions

What Makes a Question Statistical?

By Rob Moore

Poll

Which of these would be more interesting to ask your classmates?

• Do you have a pet?

• How many pets does each student in our class have?

A question that expects different answers, not just one. Statistical questions use data to find patterns or summaries.


Example: "How many pets does each student in our class have?"

This is statistical because everyone might have a different number of pets.

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​Statistical Question

The difference in the data - not everyone answers the same.




In our example, some students might have 0 pets, others 1, 2, or more.

That's variability - and it's what makes a question interesting for data collection!

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Variability

Objective for Today

I can recognize a statistical question by checking if it expects variability in the answers.

Poll

“You're planning snacks for a school event. Which question helps you make a better decision?”

• What is your favorite snack?

• What is the favorite snack of the 6th grade?

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a statistical question?

• How many minutes are in an hour?

• How tall is each student in your class?

• What is the capital of California?

• What is your math teacher’s age?

Not Statistical Questions

Statistical Questions

What’s the Difference?

• How many siblings do students have?

• What is the average screen time?

• How long do students spend on homework?

• How many siblings do you have?

• Did you use your phone today?

• Did you finish your homework?

Categorize

Options (13)

How many goals did each soccer team score last season?

How long do students in our school spend on homework?

What is 5 × 7?

How old are you?

What is the height of students in our class?

How many hours do people watch TV each week?

How many different countries have students in our school visited?

What is the capital of France?

How many days are in a week?

What color is the sky on a clear day?

What is the boiling point of water?

Who wrote 'Romeo and Juliet'?

What is the largest planet in our solar system?

Sort the following into Statistical vs. Not Statistical:

Statistical Question

Not Statistical Question

Here are some ideas to get you started.

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​Let’s Ask Our Own Questions!

• How long does it take students to get to school?

• How many hours of sleep do 6th graders get?

• How many text messages do students send per day?

Open Ended

Write your own statistical question about students at Sierra Vista Middle School.

Multiple Select

Let’s see if you can spot statistical questions now!

Which of these are statistical questions? (Select all that apply)

• How many siblings does everyone in this class have?

• What is your favorite color?

• What is the most common favorite food among students?

• What is the total number of school days in a year?

You Did It!

• You learned what makes a question statistical.

• You practiced identifying and writing your own question.

• Go forth and collect data to answer your question!