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Recognize
Statistical Questions

Learn to tell the difference between questions that have one fixed answer and questions that expect variability in the data.

6th Grade Math

What Is a Statistical Question?

A statistical question is a question you can answer by collecting data, and the data you collect will vary: not everyone or everything gives the same answer.

What Does Variability Mean?

Variability means the data values are not all the same. When you survey a group, different people will give different answers: their heights differ, their ages differ, their favorite colors differ.

Age (years) 10 11 12 13 14 "How old are the students in my school?" Each dot = one student: ages vary!

Non-Statistical vs Statistical

Non-Statistical
"How old am I?"

Only one answer exists. No variability: the answer is always the same number.
Statistical
"How old are the students in my school?"

Many answers possible. Different students have different ages: variability is expected.

The Core Rule

Ask: Will answers vary? YES Statistical Question Data will show variability. You need to collect and summarize data. NO Not Statistical One fixed answer. No data collection needed.

Three Clues a Question Is Statistical

1
It asks about a group, not a single individual. "Students in my school" vs "me."
2
You expect different answers from different members of the group.
3
You would need to collect data and then describe the results (a range, an average, a distribution).

One Answer vs Many Answers

Question One Answer? Many Answers? Statistical?
"How many feet in a mile?" Yes: 5,280 No No
"How far do students walk to school?" No Yes: varies Yes
"What is the school mascot?" Yes: one mascot No No
"What mascot do students prefer?" No Yes: varies Yes

How to Decide Step by Step

1
Read the question carefully. Who or what is being asked about?
2
Imagine collecting answers. Would different people (or observations) give different answers?
3
Check for variability. If answers vary, the question is statistical. If there is only one fixed answer, it is not.
4
Confirm: Would you need to summarize the data (mean, range, graph) to answer it? If yes, it is statistical.

Example 1: Easy

1
Who/what? One specific textbook.
2
Different answers? No: the textbook has a fixed page count.
3
Variability? None. Every person who counts will get the same number.

Example 2: Medium

1
Who/what? A group: all 6th graders.
2
Different answers? Yes: some students do 2 hours, others do 8 hours.
3
Variability? Definitely: homework time varies from student to student.

Example 3: Tricky

This feels like it might need data, but think carefully: February 2025 has exactly 28 days. Everyone who checks a calendar gets the same answer.

Spot the Statistical Question

Not Statistical "What is the capital of France?" "How tall is the Statue of Liberty?" "What is my dog's name?" "How many sides does a hexagon have?" Statistical "What languages do students speak?" "How tall are 6th graders?" "What pet do families in town own?" "How many books did students read?" → → → → Fixed answer → Group with variability

Statistical Questions: Two Flavors

Numerical Data
Answers are numbers that vary.

"How many hours do students sleep?" → Answers: 7, 8, 9, 6.5 ...
Categorical Data
Answers are categories that vary.

"What is your favorite sport?" → Answers: soccer, basketball, swimming ...

Why Does This Matter?

Recognizing statistical questions is the first step in the entire statistics process. Before you can collect data, make graphs, or calculate averages, you need to know whether your question even requires data in the first place.

1. Ask
Pose a statistical question that anticipates variability.
2. Collect
Gather data from the group in question.
3. Analyze
Summarize with graphs, averages, and descriptions.

Common Mistakes

✕ Confusing "hard to answer" with "statistical"
"What is the tallest mountain?" is hard to guess but has one fixed answer: Mount Everest. Not statistical.
✕ Thinking all number questions are statistical
"How many inches in a foot?" involves a number (12) but has no variability. Not statistical.
✕ Ignoring the word "my" vs "students'"
"How old am I?" has one answer. Changing "I" to "students in my class" introduces variability and makes it statistical.

Summary Checklist

Feature Statistical Not Statistical
Asks about... A group One individual / fact
Number of possible answers Many (varies) Exactly one
Requires data collection? Yes No
Anticipates variability? Yes No
Example "How tall are 6th graders?" "How tall am I?"

Question 1 of 5

Which of the following is a statistical question?

Question 2 of 5

"How many hours of sleep did you get last night?" is not a statistical question because:

Question 3 of 5

What makes a question statistical?

Question 4 of 5

Which question could be changed into a statistical question by replacing "I" with "students in my grade"?

Question 5 of 5

A teacher asks: "What is the average height of students in this class?" Is this a statistical question?