identify both a parameter and a statistic

[comet2000]

For exercises 1.4-1.6: Suppose that we are designing a study that involves following heroin addicts around and noting both the context within which they inject themselves and the kind of reaction that results.

1.6: For the heroin study, identify both a parameter and a statistic in which we might be interested.

i don't understand it.

 

[Deleted member 4993]

For exercises 1.4-1.6: Suppose that we are designing a study that involves following heroin addicts around and noting both the context within which they inject themselves and the kind of reaction that results.

1.6: For the heroin study, identify both a parameter and a statistic in which we might be interested.

i don't understand it.

What are the definitions of a parameter and a statistic?

What does your textbook say?

 

[royhaas]

A parameter is an unknown quantity that is characteristic of a population. A statistic is a number, computed from data, that is used to estimate the value of the unknown parameter. There can be several parameters and several statistics in any practical problem. For example, the dosage of heroin and time between injections can both be used to estimate the time of survival as a function of total dose. In general, you need to describe precisely what problem you are trying to solve. That will usually suggest what the parameters are and point the way to which data (statistics) you should try to collect.

In short, I don't see a clear definition of your problem here, so it's hard to give decent advice.To complicate things, other drugs, such as alcohol, may have an effect on the data. In any case, this is a complex problem so you must learn to capture all aspects of both the input(dosage, time, etc.) and outcome(death, etc.)