Lesson S1

S1 Inferring population properties from samples Quiz: AQA Maths, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

In partnership with Revision Ninja

Lesson S1, Inferring population properties from samples: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Maths (8300), Unit 6: Statistics, written with Revision Ninja.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

Host this setFree Play

The 20 questions

  1. What is a population in statistics?

    • The whole group being studied
    • The average of the data
    • A single data value
    • A subset chosen from the group

  2. What is a sample?

    • The median of the data collected from the population
    • A chart that summarises the results of the survey
    • A subset of the population chosen for study
    • The entire population, measured in full for the study

  3. Why is a sample often used instead of the whole population?

    • It makes the population smaller
    • It always gives exact results
    • It removes all bias
    • It is quicker and cheaper to collect

  4. What is a key limitation of sampling?

    • Samples cannot be used to predict anything
    • Samples have no variation
    • The sample may not represent the whole population
    • Samples always give exact answers

  5. Why is random selection important when taking a sample?

    • It guarantees the sample mean equals the population mean
    • Every member has an equal chance of being selected
    • The researcher picks people they like
    • Only the oldest members are chosen

  6. Which change makes a sample more representative of its population?

    • Making it larger and choosing it at random
    • Using volunteers only
    • Making all members the same
    • Choosing it from one location only

  7. A sample of 20 students from one class is used to estimate the average for a whole school. What is the main concern?

    • The sample may not represent the whole school
    • Schools cannot be sampled
    • The sample is too large
    • The average of 20 values is always zero

  8. What is a sampling frame?

    • A formula for calculating the size of the sample
    • A chart showing the results from a sample of people
    • The final answer to a question that the survey asked
    • A list of the population from which a sample is drawn

  9. A school has 800 students. A random sample of 80 includes 24 who say they walk to school. What is the best estimate for the whole school?

    • 240
    • 800
    • 80
    • 24

  10. A sample of 50 light bulbs contains 3 defective bulbs. What is the best estimate for the number of defective bulbs in a batch of 2000?

    • 120
    • 60
    • 300
    • 3

  11. In a survey of 200 people, 60 prefer brand A. What is the best estimate of the number preferring brand A in a population of 5000?

    • 60
    • 750
    • 200
    • 1500

  12. A sample of 30 gives a mean of 14.2. What is the best estimate of the population mean?

    • 14
    • 14.2
    • 0
    • 30

  13. Which sample is least reliable for estimating a population property?

    • A large random sample from the whole population
    • A stratified sample of pupils from each year group
    • A random sample of 500 people from the population
    • A small sample chosen from only one group

  14. A survey of 1000 adults finds 40% support a plan. What is the best estimate for 60000 adults?

    • 60000
    • 4000
    • 24000
    • 40000

  15. Why might the survey question 'Do you agree that our wonderful team should win?' give biased results?

    • The wording leads people towards a particular answer
    • The sample is too large for a survey of this kind
    • The answers are numbers rather than words in the survey
    • It uses too few words to explain the question clearly

  16. What does a census collect data from?

    • Every member of the population
    • Volunteers only
    • The first five people in a list
    • A random sample of 10 people

  17. (H) Why is a stratified sample used?

    • So that each group is represented in proportion to the population
    • So that the mean of the whole sample is always exactly zero
    • So that only one group of the population is included in it
    • So that the sample size is zero in every group of the survey

  18. (H) A sample of 40 has a mean of 12.5. The population has 500 members. What is the estimated population total?

    • 40
    • 12.5
    • 6250
    • 500

  19. (H) Compared with a small sample, what does a larger sample generally give?

    • A more precise estimate with less variation
    • An estimate that is always biased
    • An estimate that is always exactly the population value
    • A smaller mean

  20. (H) A survey of 100 people finds 45% prefer option X. What is the best estimate of the number in a population of 2000 who prefer X?

    • 450
    • 900
    • 45
    • 1800

All AQA Maths quizzes