A number calculated with complete data and quantifies a population characteristic is called:

A number calculated with complete data and quantifies a population characteristic is called: (a) A datum

(b) A statistic

(c) A parameter

(d) A population

✅ Correct option: (c) A parameter

Explanation:

A parameter is a numerical value that describes a characteristic of an entire population, calculated using complete population data. Examples include population mean, population variance, and population proportion. Since parameters involve the whole population, they are usually fixed values but often unknown due to the difficulty of collecting data from every individual. A statistic, on the other hand, is calculated from a sample and is used to estimate a population parameter. A datum refers to a single piece of information or observation, while population refers to the entire group under study, not a numerical value. In research and statistics, parameters are essential benchmarks, but because full population data are rarely available, researchers rely on statistics to make inferences about parameters. Therefore, the correct answer is parameter.

10 Related PPSC Facts:

Parameter describes a population Calculated from complete data Usually unknown Fixed numerical value Statistic estimates parameter Sample data produce statistics Population mean is a parameter Population variance is a parameter Used in census studies Foundation of inferential statistics