Final answer:
In statistics, parameters are numerical characteristics of the population, while statistics represent properties of a sample.
Step-by-step explanation:
In statistics, a parameter is a numerical characteristic of the entire population, while a statistic is a number that represents a property of a sample. For example, the average number of points earned by students in one math class is a statistic, while the average number of points earned by all math classes is a parameter.
Parameters can be calculated if data is available for the entire population, while statistics are calculated from a sample. Parameters provide information about the entire population, while statistics provide estimates about the population based on a sample.