Understand Statistical Questions

Distinguish statistical questions from non-statistical questions and understand that statistical questions expect variability in answers.

6.DS.A.1 · Statistics & Probability
Level
Guided practice with vocabulary support

🟠 Level 0 — Extra Support

Sentence starters: “First, I…” · “The answer is… because…” · “I know this because…”
W

Warm-Up

2 questions
Warm-Up 1
Which question is a statistical question?
Vocabulary: A statistical question is one where you expect variability in the answers — different people could give different responses. A non-statistical question has only one answer.
✓Correct! Different sixth graders sleep different amounts, so the answers will vary. That makes it a statistical question.
✗Not quite. A statistical question expects different answers from different people. The answer is C: sixth graders sleep different amounts each night.
Warm-Up 2
Is this a statistical question? “How many pets do students in our class have?”
Hint: Would everyone in the class give the same answer? If answers vary, it is a statistical question.
✓Correct! Each student may have a different number of pets, so the data will show variability.
✗Think again: different students have different numbers of pets. Since answers vary, this is a statistical question.
P

Practice

5 questions
Practice 1
Which of the following is NOT a statistical question?
Remember: A non-statistical question has exactly one correct answer with no variability.
Explain why it is not statistical:

Sentence frame: “This question is not statistical because there is only one answer: ___.”

✓Correct! “What is the capital of Maryland?” has one answer (Annapolis) with no variability.
✗Look for the question with only one possible answer. The answer is B — the capital of Maryland is always Annapolis.
Practice 2
Identify the statistical question about a school cafeteria.
Strategy: Ask yourself: “Would I get different answers if I asked many people?” If yes, the question is statistical.
Explain why this is statistical:

Sentence frame: “This is statistical because the number of ___ varies from ___ to ___.”

✓Correct! The number of milk cartons bought changes each day, so the data will vary.
✗Which question would give you different data each time you collect it? The answer is C — milk purchases vary daily.
Practice 3
Sort each question into the correct category: Statistical or Not Statistical.
Remember: A statistical question expects variability — different answers from different sources. A non-statistical question has one fixed answer.
How many books did students read this summer?
How many states are in the U.S.?
What is your favorite sport?
What is 25 + 17?
How many minutes does it take you to get to school?
Who is the current president?
Statistical
Not Statistical
✓All correct! Statistical questions expect variability in answers. Non-statistical questions have one fixed answer.
✗Some items are in the wrong group. Ask: “Would different people give different answers?” If yes, it is statistical.
Practice 4
Marcus wants to collect data about his classmates. Which question would give him data with variability?
Vocabulary: Data are pieces of information collected to answer a question. Variability means the data values are different from each other.
Why does this question produce variability?

Sentence frame: “This question produces variability because different students ___.”

✓Correct! Different students spend different amounts of time on homework, so the data will have variability.
✗Look for the question where answers will differ. The answer is C — homework hours vary from student to student.
Practice 5
Rewrite this non-statistical question to make it statistical:
“How many inches are in a foot?”
Strategy: Change the question so it asks about a group of people or things where answers will vary. For example, instead of asking about a fixed measurement, ask about heights or lengths that differ.
Explain why your choice is now statistical:

Sentence frame: “This version is statistical because different students have different ___, so the data will ___.”

✓Correct! Asking about student heights produces variability because students are different heights.
✗A statistical question needs variability. The answer is B — student heights differ, giving varied data.
★

Challenge

1 question
Challenge
A student says: “What is your shoe size?” is NOT a statistical question because everyone has a shoe size. Is the student correct? Explain your reasoning.
Think about it: Does having a shoe size mean there is no variability? What matters is whether different people would give different answers.
Explain your reasoning:

Sentence frame: “The student is ___ because even though everyone has a shoe size, the actual sizes are ___, which means there is ___.”

✓Correct! The student is wrong. Even though everyone has a shoe size, the sizes are different from person to person. That variability makes it a statistical question.
✗The key is variability. Different people wear different shoe sizes, so the data varies. The answer is B.