Which statement best describes descriptive statistics?

• A. They describe data only.
• B. They are used to draw conclusions about populations.
• C. They test hypotheses.
• D. They determine causality.

Answer: (A)

Descriptive statistics summarize and describe the data you have, giving a concise snapshot of its main features. They cover measures of central tendency (like the mean and median), measures of spread (such as the standard deviation and range), and patterns of frequency (counts and percentages), often shown in tables or graphs. The core idea is to describe what is observed in the sample or dataset itself, not to infer beyond it. Because they stay at the level of the observed data, descriptive statistics do not generalize to a larger population, do not test hypotheses, and cannot establish causality. This is why they are described as describing data only.