Final answer:
Charts and graphs are tools used in descriptive statistics, which aims to summarize and organize data, rather than inferential statistics which makes predictions about populations from samples.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of charts and graphs is an example of descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics is a branch of statistics that involves organizing and summarizing data, which includes graphing and numerical summaries such as averages.
Unlike inferential statistics, which refers to methods used to make estimations or predictions about a population based on a sample, descriptive statistics is concerned with visually or numerically describing a set of data. This can be seen in various graph types such as stem-and-leaf plots, line graphs, bar graphs, histograms, and box plots.
When a student sees a graph or a chart, it usually reflects the data in its current state without making predictions or testing hypotheses. It is important to be comfortable with both descriptive and inferential statistics as they play crucial roles in analyzing data and making decisions based on that data.