The number of observations minus the number of assumptions necessary to calculate a statistic equals:
A) the Z score.
B) ANOVA.
C) random variation.
D) degrees of freedom.

Question

The number of observations minus the number of assumptions necessary to calculate a statistic equals:
A)	the Z score.
B)	ANOVA.
C)	random variation.
D)	      degrees of freedom.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is the definition of degrees of freedom, which is the number of independent pieces of information that are available to estimate a statistic. It is calculated by subtracting the number of assumptions (such as fixed parameters or constraints) from the number of observations. Z scores and ANOVA are not relevant to this definition, and random variation is not directly related.

The Number of Observations Minus the Number of Assumptions Necessary