For the following statement, decide whether descriptive or inferential statistics is used: The average life expectancy in New Zealand is 78.49 years.

The descriptive statistics would be used.

Differences between descriptive and inferential statistics:

• Descriptive statistics

A descriptive statistic is a measure to carry out a statistical study in a way that the whole population is described in the study.

It uses tools like mean, standard deviation directly to evaluate the measures and describe the data. Also, it involves minimal error as it takes into account the entire population.

• Inferential statistics

An inferential statistic is a measure to carry out a statistical study in a way that population is described in the study by using a sample representation of the population.

It also uses tools like mean, standard deviation indirectly (through sample estimates) to describe the data. Also, it involves large error as it uses samples rather than the whole population for description.

In this case, New Zealand is the entire population, and the mean of life expectancy is the descriptive statistic for the population.