Which term describes a subset of individuals from a population used for analysis?

• A. Population
• B. Sample
• C. Parameter
• D. Variable

Answer: (B)

Sampling is about selecting a subset from a larger group to study. The subset used for analysis is called a sample. By examining the sample, researchers draw inferences about the population, since it's usually not feasible to measure everyone. This approach hinges on representativeness and acknowledges potential differences called sampling error. The population is the entire group of interest. A parameter is a numerical summary that describes a population, something we typically don’t know exactly. A variable is a trait that can take different values and is what you measure in individuals. So the subset used for analysis is the sample.