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What is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics?

Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics are two main branches of statistical analysis that focus on different aspects.

Descriptive statistics is concerned with describing and summarizing data. It includes the presentation and interpretation of data using metrics, graphs, and summaries in tabular form. Your goal is to identify patterns, trends, and characteristics of the data at hand. Descriptive statistics answer questions like "What happened?" or "What does the data look like?"

Inferential statistics, on the other hand, is concerned with making inferences about a population based on sample data. It enables statements to be made about the underlying population based on the available data. Inferential statistics uses methods such as hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and estimation to make statistical inferences. Their goal is to go beyond the available data and make more general statements. Inferential statistics answer questions like "Is the observed difference between the groups statistically significant?" or "How well does the sample represent the population?"

In summary, descriptive statistics describe data and provide summaries, while inferential statistics draw conclusions about a population based on sample data. Both branches complement each other and are important for understanding and analyzing data.