Which term refers to the use of graphs, tables, and charts to organize and summarize data?

• A. Inferential statistics
• B. Descriptive statistics
• C. Data capture
• D. Data set

Answer: (B)

Descriptive statistics focuses on describing data by organizing and summarizing it with graphs, tables, and charts. It highlights what the data show—such as typical values (mean or median), how spread out the values are (range, standard deviation), and the overall distribution pattern—without trying to infer anything about a larger population. This is different from inferential statistics, which uses sample data to draw conclusions about a bigger group, and from ideas like data capture or a data set, which are about collecting data or a collection of data items. So the term that best fits describing and presenting the observed data visually and numerically is descriptive statistics.