The problem asks to determine whether the underlined value (59% of passes completed) is a parameter or a statistic.

Key Definitions:

1. Parameter: A value that describes a characteristic of a population (the entire group being studied).
2. Statistic: A value that describes a characteristic of a sample (a subset of the population).

Analysis:

The question specifically refers to a championship football game, meaning the completion percentage (59%) is based on the quarterback's performance in that single game. Since the "population" here is limited to all the passes in that specific game, the value (59%) applies to the entire population of passes for that game.

Correct Answer:

B. The value is a parameter because the quarterback's passes are a population.

Would you like a deeper explanation of the distinction or have any questions about this? Here are some related questions to explore:

Related Questions:

1. What is the difference between a sample and a population in statistics?
2. Can you give examples of parameters versus statistics in other sports scenarios?
3. How would the answer change if the data represented the quarterback's performance across multiple games (a sample)?
4. Why is it important to distinguish between parameters and statistics in data analysis?
5. What methods can be used to calculate a statistic from a sample of a larger population?

Tip:

Remember, a parameter describes the entire group being studied (population), while a statistic is derived from a subset (sample).