Recognizing Statistical Questions
Recognizing statistical questions is a Grade 6 math skill in Big Ideas Math Advanced 1, Chapter 9: Statistical Measures. A statistical question is one that expects variability in the answers — such as "How tall are students in Grade 6?" — as opposed to a non-statistical question with a single fixed answer like "How tall is the Eiffel Tower?"
Key Concepts
Statistics is the science of collecting, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data. A statistical question is one that anticipates variability in the data and can be answered by collecting data that varies from one individual to another. Non statistical questions have a single, definitive answer.
Common Questions
What is a statistical question in Grade 6 math?
A statistical question is one where you expect different answers from different people or situations, resulting in a variety of data. For example, "How many hours of TV do Grade 6 students watch per week?" is statistical because answers will vary.
How is a statistical question different from a regular question?
A regular question has one fixed answer, while a statistical question anticipates variability in responses. "What time does the sun rise today?" has one answer, but "What time do students wake up?" has many different answers.
Can you give examples of statistical vs. non-statistical questions?
Statistical: "How many books do Grade 6 students read per month?" Non-statistical: "How many books are on the shelf?" The first expects variable answers; the second has one definite answer.
Where is this topic taught in Big Ideas Math Advanced 1?
Recognizing statistical questions is covered in Chapter 9: Statistical Measures of Big Ideas Math Advanced 1, the Grade 6 math textbook.