Final answer:
The underlined number (65%) represents a statistic because it is based on a sample of professors, rather than the entire population of professors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to determine whether the underlined number (65%) in the statement "a sample of professors is selected and it is found that 65% own a vehicle" is a statistic or a parameter. Since the number is derived from a sample and not the entire population, 65% represents a statistic, which is an estimate derived from a sample that approximates a parameter. A parameter would be the actual proportion of all professors who own a vehicle.
In the context of the provided exercises, it is also important to understand the difference between population and sample. The population is the entire group that is being studied, while the sample is a subset of the population that is being used to gather data. A parameter is a descriptive measure of the population, and a statistic is a descriptive measure of the sample.