Government data show that 9% of the American population are at least 75 years of age. To test a random-digit dialing device, you use the device to call randomly chosen residential telephones in your county. Of the 290 members of the households contacted, 3% are 75 years or older. Is each of the boldface numbers a parameter or a statistic?

Answer: 9% parameter, 3% statistic

Step-by-step explanation: Parameter and statistic are are statistical terms used to describe a group or observation.

However, the distinction between a parameter and a statistic is in the measured observation.

Parameter is used to describe an entire population while statistic is used to describe a sample.

Where a population refers to the entire number of people or inhabitant of a particular country while a sample refers to a subset of observation drawn randomly from a population which serves a representative of the entire population.

In the question above, 9% is used to make a description of the whole American population who are at least 75 years of age. While,

3% is used to describe a subset of the American population (sample) who are 75 years or older.