Descriptive or Inferential Statistics

Determine whether each of the following is a descriptive or an inferential statistics problem.

a. A report by NASA listed each weather satellite orbiting the Earth and the number of years each has been in service.

b. The Agricultural Research Service obtained samples of natural cocoa from a variety of sources and measured the total antioxidant capacity in each sample. The resulting data were used to suggest that eating a moderate amount of chocolate may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

c. The U.S. Patent Office issued a report listing every company that was granted a patent in 2013 and the number of patents awarded to each company.

d. A researcher at Emory University used brain scans to conclude that zen meditation may help treat disorders characterized by distracting thoughts.