Statistical inference is the process of using data analysis to infer
properties of an underlying probability distribution. Inferential
statistical analysis infers properties of a population, for example by
testing hypotheses and deriving estimates. It is assumed that the observed
data set is sampled from a larger population.
Inferential statistics can be contrasted with descriptive statistics.
Descriptive statistics is solely concerned with properties of the observed
data, and it does not rest on the assumption that the data come from a larger
population.