A parameter is a value that describes a characteristic of a population, whereas a statistic describes a characteristic of a sample.

Let's review the options:

1. Over 10,000 out of 15,000 citizens in a precinct participate in a special election.
   This is referring to the entire population of the precinct (15,000 citizens). Therefore, this describes a parameter since the data refers to the whole population.

2. All 450 students attending a school are asked to rank the quality of cafeteria food.
   This describes the entire population of 450 students. Thus, this is a parameter.

3. Fifty students in first grade have their heights taken to estimate the average length.
   This is an example of taking a sample of 50 students to estimate a characteristic (height) for a larger group. This is a statistic, not a parameter.

4. Thirty randomly selected teens are asked about their average weekly hours spent on the Internet.
   This is also a sample of teens, and the data collected would be considered a statistic.

Conclusion:

The correct examples of parameters are (1) Over 10,000 out of 15,000 citizens in a precinct participate in a special election and (2) All 450 students attending a school are asked to rank the quality of cafeteria food.

Would you like more details or clarifications?

Here are 5 related questions to explore further:

1. What is the difference between a parameter and a statistic?
2. How do you determine when a value represents a population or a sample?
3. Can a parameter ever be estimated using a statistic?
4. What are common methods for collecting population data?
5. How do sampling methods affect the accuracy of statistics?

Tip: Parameters are typically fixed values for a population, whereas statistics can vary depending on the sample selected.