What term best describes the average number of cell phones owned by 100 households?

The term that accurately describes the average number of cell phones owned by 100 households is defined as a sample statistic. A sample statistic is derived from data collected from a specific subset of a larger population. In this scenario, the 100 households represent a sample of the broader population of all households.

The average number of cell phones from these households gives us insights into the behavior or characteristics of the larger group, but since it is based solely on this particular sample, it is classified as a sample statistic. It is important in statistics to differentiate between sample statistics (which summarize data from a subset) and population parameters (which summarize data from an entire population).

Thus, while the average could reflect trends within the overall population if your sample is representative, it's still based only on the 100 households observed, confirming that it is indeed a sample statistic.