Final answer:
The value 15% is a statistic, as it has been derived from a sample of 60 students. A parameter would be calculated using data from the entire population.
Step-by-step explanation:
The given value of 15% represents the proportion of students in a sample who used statistics in their future careers. This is a statistic, as it is a characteristic that has been calculated from a sample, which in this case, consists of the 60 students who passed statistics.
If we were to look at a situation where we would calculate a parameter, it would involve using data from the entire population. A parameter is a numerical characteristic of a whole population, such as when a professor calculates the average exam score for their class by using the scores of all students in the class.
For comparison, in the scenario where the U.S. federal government surveys all high school seniors about their plans and finds that 50% are planning to attend a four-year college or university, that 50% would be considered a parameter of the population.