Grade 6 Math · Topic 64

Statistical Questions

A statistical question is one you'd expect to get a variety of answers to. “How tall are sixth graders?” is statistical because heights vary; “How tall is Maya?” is not, because there is exactly one answer.

Lesson alignment: 6.SP.A.1 · Take your time. You can return to this lesson whenever you need it.

Explore visually

Decide whether a question is statistical

A statistical question anticipates different answers and can be answered by collecting data.

Think first: Do you expect every answer to be the same, or will answers vary across the group?

Ready? Reveal the model and try your prediction

Swipe horizontally to see the full diagram.

Turn on JavaScript to adjust this model. The examples and practice below work without it.

Follow the worked examples

Read each step, then cover the explanation and see if you can explain why it works.

Worked example 1

Is “How many minutes do my classmates sleep on a school night?” statistical?

Yes — different classmates sleep different amounts, so you expect a variety of answers.

Answer: Statistical

Worked example 2

Is “How old is my teacher?” statistical?

No — there is one teacher and one age, so no variability.

Answer: Not statistical

Try a few on your own

Work these on paper first. Open “Check” when you are ready to compare your answer.

  1. How many pets do students in my class have?
    Check

    S

  2. What is the capital of Alabama?
    Check

    N

  3. How long does it take students to get to school?
    Check

    S

  4. How tall is my brother?
    Check

    N

  5. What are the heights of players on the team?
    Check

    S

  6. How many siblings does each student have?
    Check

    S

  7. What is the temperature outside right now?
    Check

    N

  8. How many books did each classmate read this month?
    Check

    S

Try this situation 1

A reporter asks “How many hours of TV do middle schoolers watch per week?” Is this statistical? Why?

Show a worked solution

Answer: Yes.

Different middle schoolers watch different amounts, so the answers will vary.

Try this situation 2

Write a statistical question about shoe sizes in your class.

Show a worked solution

Answer: Sample: “What are the shoe sizes of students in my class?”

It will have many different answers (one per student).

Fresh questions · saved on this device

Practice this skill

12 question pool

Try a fresh set each time. Answer one question, check your thinking, and read the explanation. If you miss one, return to the visual model and try another round.

Choose a session length

Your practice results stay in this browser and appear in the course progress report.

Check what you learned

Answer these five questions on your own. You can review the explanations after you submit and try again whenever you like. This short check is for practice, not a grade.

1. A survey asks 200 people: “On a scale of 1 to 5, how much sleep did you get last night?” Why is this a statistical question?

2. Which question is statistical?

3. A teacher conducts a survey asking students: “How many books did you read last summer?” The answers will vary because:

4. Which question is a statistical question?

5. A meteorologist asks: “What was the daily high temperature in our city for each day in March?” This is a statistical question because:

Practice and finish

Try the linked topic quiz for more practice. If something is tricky, return to the example and look for the step that changes the numbers or representation.

Open the practice quiz

Your checkmark, skill-practice sessions, and best exit-check score are saved on this browser and device. The course page can download a progress report to share with a tutor or teacher.

More Grade 6 resources

Use these free materials if you want another explanation, extra paper practice, or a broader review.

Browse free Grade 6 topic lessons ↗Print Grade 6 worksheets ↗Review Grade 6 flashcards ↗Open the formula review ↗Try the Statistics & Data quiz ↗Try a full practice test ↗