DfE statement S5 · Statistics
Describing a population with statistics
Describing a population with statistics is content statement S5 of the DfE GCSE mathematics subject content, in the statistics area. It is on both tiers, and it appears on both the calculator and the non-calculator papers. Below is what the specification actually requires, the 3 mistakes that cost marks on this topic most often, and practice questions written to the statement — original questions, not past papers.
What the specification says
The DfE subject content for GCSE mathematics states, verbatim: "Apply statistics to describe a population." (statement S5). Every awarding organisation — Pearson Edexcel, AQA and OCR — must cover it, so the wording is the same whichever specification your school follows.
Tier
Both tiers. This statement is Foundation content, which means Higher students are examined on it too — Higher is Foundation plus more, never instead of it.
Calculator
This turns up on both the non-calculator and the calculator papers, so practise it both ways — the written method for Paper 1 and the efficient calculator route for Papers 2 and 3.
Common mistakes
- Quoting a statistic with no context or units, so it says nothing about the population.
- Claiming certainty about a population from a single sample statistic.
- Describing a population with an average alone, when the spread is what the question is about.
Sample questions (10 of 24)
Nearby statements
Questions people ask
Is describing a population with statistics on Foundation or Higher?
Both. It is Foundation content, so it can be asked on either tier.
Can I use a calculator for describing a population with statistics?
It depends on the paper. Paper 1 is non-calculator; Papers 2 and 3 allow one, and this topic is asked on both kinds.
What is the single most common mistake here?
Quoting a statistic with no context or units, so it says nothing about the population.
Are these past paper questions?
No. Every question is original, written to this DfE content statement and checked before publication. We do not host past papers or mark schemes.
Back to Statistics at Foundation or at Higher.