1.4. For several years, the Gallup Poll has asked, " Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances? " The poll reported in May 2014, based on a sample of 1028 adults, that the percentages for these three responses were 28 %, 50 %, and 21 %, respectively.

Are these the values of statistics, or of parameters? Why?

1.5. A General Social Survey asked subjects whether astrology- the study of star signs - has some scientific truth. Of 1245 sampled subjects, 651 responded definitely or probably true, and 594 responded definitely or probably not true. The proportion responding definitely or probably true was 651/1245 = 0.523.

(a) Describe the population of interest.

(b) For what population parameter might we want to make an inference?

(e) What sample statistic could be used in making this inference?

(d) Does the value of the statistic in (c) necessarily equal the parameter in (b)? Explain.