An Associated Press news article appearing in the Kansas City Star on April 22, 2005, stated that "The highway fatality rate sank to a record low last year, the government estimated Thursday. But the overall number of traffic deaths increased slightly, leading the Bush administration to urge a national focus on seat belt use. . . . Overall, 42,800 people died on the nation's highways in 2004, up from 42,643 in 2003, according to projections from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)." Answer the following questions and explain your answers.
a. Is the figure 42,800 a descriptive statistic or an inferential statistic?
b. Is the figure 42,643 a descriptive statistic or an inferential statistic?