The text from the image reads:

"(a) A function of sample values not involving unknown parameters is known as ____"

The correct term to fill in the blank is a statistic. A statistic is a function or quantity calculated from sample data that does not depend on any unknown parameters, unlike a parameter, which pertains to the entire population and may not be directly observable.

Would you like more details on this concept, or do you have any questions?

Here are five related questions to expand on this topic:

1. What is the difference between a statistic and a parameter?
2. How is a statistic used in inferential statistics?
3. What are some common examples of statistics, like the mean or median?
4. How does a statistic differ from a point estimate?
5. Can a statistic be biased, and how is bias measured?

Tip: In statistics, parameters describe the entire population, while statistics describe samples. Understanding this distinction is key to interpreting data correctly!