Final answer:
The theoretical distribution of an infinite number of samples of the population of interest in a study is called a sampling distribution. The sampling distribution represents the probability distribution of all the measured characteristics, such as mean, proportion, or standard deviation, for each sample.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theoretical distribution of an infinite number of samples of the population of interest in a study is called a sampling distribution. The sampling distribution represents the probability distribution of all the measured characteristics, such as mean, proportion, or standard deviation, for each sample.
The sampling distribution of the mean, which consists of sample means, approaches a normal distribution as the sample size increases. This is known as the Central Limit Theorem.
In statistics, we use inferential statistics to make generalizations about an unknown population. The sample data help us estimate a population parameter and construct confidence intervals.