Point Estimate: Definition, Examples

The sample variance is an example of a point estimate. Image: Boston University
The sample variance is an example of a point estimate. Image: Boston University

What is a Point Estimate?

Watch the video for an overview and example, or read on below:

In simple terms, any statistic can be a point estimate. A statistic is an estimator of some parameter in a population. For example:

In more formal terms, the estimate occurs as a result of point estimation applied to a set of sample data. Points are single values, in comparison to interval estimates, which are a range of values. For example, a confidence interval is one example of an interval estimate.

Finding the Estimates

Four of the most common ways to find an estimate:

References

Beyer, W. H. CRC Standard Mathematical Tables, 31st ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, pp. 536 and 571, 2002.
Agresti A. (1990) Categorical Data Analysis. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Dodge, Y. (2008). The Concise Encyclopedia of Statistics. Springer.
“Klein, G. (2013). The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics. Hill & Wamg.”


Comments? Need to post a correction? Please Contact Us.