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100+ Free DSST Principles of Statistics Practice Questions

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What does the law of large numbers state in basic probability?

A
B
C
D
to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: DSST Principles of Statistics Exam

100

questions on the official fact sheet

GetCollegeCredit DSST Principles of Statistics fact sheet

2 hours

official time limit

GetCollegeCredit DSST Principles of Statistics fact sheet

400

minimum score for ACE-recommended credit

GetCollegeCredit DSST Principles of Statistics page and fact sheet

20%

weight of each of the five official content areas

DSST Principles of Statistics fact sheet

$100

DSST exam fee before site administrative fees

GetCollegeCredit DSST Questions and Answers

36%

FY24 military pass rate

DANTES FY24 DSST Military Pass Rates

3

lower-level baccalaureate semester hours recommended by ACE

DSST Principles of Statistics fact sheet

DSST Principles of Statistics is a current Prometric DSST Math exam listed by GetCollegeCredit and DANTES. The official DSST fact sheet lists 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours, permits a non-programmable calculator, provides a standard normal table, and divides the outline equally across Foundations of Statistics, Probability, Correlation and Regression, Sampling Distributions, and Inferential Statistics at 20% each. The minimum score for the ACE credit recommendation is 400 for 3 lower-level baccalaureate semester hours.

Sample DSST Principles of Statistics Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your DSST Principles of Statistics exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A researcher records the blood type of each person in a sample as A, B, AB, or O. What level of measurement is being used?
A.Nominal
B.Ordinal
C.Interval
D.Ratio
Explanation: Blood type labels place people into named categories with no natural order. That is nominal measurement because the values classify observations but do not rank or measure quantity.
2Students rate a campus service as poor, fair, good, or excellent. Which measurement level best describes the ratings?
A.Nominal
B.Ordinal
C.Interval
D.Ratio
Explanation: The response choices have a meaningful order from poor to excellent, but the spacing between choices is not known to be equal. Ordered categories without guaranteed equal intervals are ordinal data.
3Which variable is quantitative rather than categorical?
A.Favorite news source
B.Number of credit hours completed
C.College major
D.Type of housing
Explanation: The number of credit hours completed is numerical and arithmetic operations on the values are meaningful. The other choices name groups or labels rather than measuring an amount.
4A professor computes the average quiz score for all 28 students in one class section. In this situation, the 28 students are best described as what?
A.A statistic
B.A sample
C.A population
D.A sampling frame error
Explanation: If the question of interest is that one class section, then all 28 students in the section make up the population. A statistic summarizes a sample, but here every member of the defined group is included.
5A pollster wants a random sample of voters from a city and selects every 50th name from a complete voter-registration list after a random starting point. What sampling method is this?
A.Cluster sampling
B.Systematic sampling
C.Convenience sampling
D.Voluntary response sampling
Explanation: Selecting every kth individual after a random start is systematic sampling. It can work well when the list is not ordered in a way that creates a pattern related to the variable being studied.
6A researcher divides a university into class years, then randomly samples students from each year. Which sampling design is being used?
A.Stratified random sampling
B.Cluster sampling
C.Snowball sampling
D.Judgment sampling
Explanation: The class years are strata, and the researcher samples from every stratum. Stratified sampling is often used to ensure that important subgroups are represented.
7An online survey about commuting is posted on a city website, and only visitors who choose to respond are counted. What is the main source of bias?
A.Random sampling error
B.Voluntary response bias
C.Blinding bias
D.Matched-pairs bias
Explanation: People decide for themselves whether to respond, so those with strong opinions or unusual experiences may be overrepresented. This is voluntary response bias.
8A clinical trial randomly assigns participants to receive either a new treatment or a placebo. What is the primary purpose of random assignment?
A.To make the treatment group larger than the placebo group
B.To reduce systematic differences between groups before treatment
C.To guarantee that every participant improves
D.To remove the need for statistical analysis
Explanation: Random assignment helps balance both known and unknown characteristics across treatment groups. This makes differences in outcomes more plausibly attributable to the treatment.
9For the data set 4, 6, 6, 8, 11, what is the mean?
A.6
B.7
C.8
D.11
Explanation: Add the values to get 35, then divide by the five observations. The mean is 35/5 = 7.
10The salaries at a small startup are 42,000, 45,000, 47,000, 50,000, and 250,000 dollars. Which measure of center best resists the influence of the very high salary?
A.Mean
B.Median
C.Range
D.Standard deviation
Explanation: The median is resistant to extreme values because it depends on the ordered middle position. The very high salary pulls the mean upward much more than it changes the median.

About the DSST Principles of Statistics Exam

DSST Principles of Statistics is a Prometric-administered credit-by-exam covering foundations of statistics, probability, correlation and regression, sampling distributions, and inferential statistics. The official fact sheet lists 100 questions in a 2-hour testing window, permits a non-programmable calculator, provides a standard normal table in the exam, and lists an ACE-recommended minimum score of 400 for 3 lower-level baccalaureate semester hours. Colleges set their own DSST credit policies, so candidates should confirm acceptance with their institution before testing.

Assessment

Multiple-choice exam; the official fact sheet says all sample test questions use one correct answer and three incorrect options. A non-programmable calculator and a standard normal table are permitted/provided under the official fact sheet.

Time Limit

2 hours

Passing Score

400 minimum score for ACE-recommended credit

Exam Fee

$100 test fee; testing-site administrative fees may vary (Prometric DSST)

DSST Principles of Statistics Exam Content Outline

20%

Foundations of Statistics

Data types and levels of measurement, sample versus population, distribution, sampling type and sample size, bias, research design, descriptive statistics, measures of center and spread, distribution shape, five-number summary, IQR, outliers, and graphs such as bar graphs, stem-and-leaf plots, histograms, line graphs, and box plots.

20%

Probability

Experiments, sample spaces, events, relative frequency, law of large numbers, dependent and independent events, addition and multiplication rules, conditional probability, combinations, permutations, expected value, binomial, Poisson, geometric, uniform, and normal distributions.

20%

Correlation and Regression

Scatter plots, linear correlation strength and direction, regression lines and models of best fit, slope, y-intercept, residuals, coefficient of determination, and prediction using a linear model.

20%

Sampling Distributions

Standard scores including z scores, sampling distributions of a mean, standard error, normal approximation, and the central limit theorem.

20%

Inferential Statistics

Confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, one- and two-tailed tests, null and alternative hypotheses, significance level, Type I and Type II errors, inference for means and proportions, comparing two sample means and proportions, ANOVA, and chi-square tests for goodness of fit and contingency tables.

How to Pass the DSST Principles of Statistics Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 400 minimum score for ACE-recommended credit
  • Assessment: Multiple-choice exam; the official fact sheet says all sample test questions use one correct answer and three incorrect options. A non-programmable calculator and a standard normal table are permitted/provided under the official fact sheet.
  • Time limit: 2 hours
  • Exam fee: $100 test fee; testing-site administrative fees may vary

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

DSST Principles of Statistics Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study all five official content areas because the fact sheet weights Foundations of Statistics, Probability, Correlation and Regression, Sampling Distributions, and Inferential Statistics at 20% each.
2Practice descriptive statistics and visual displays first; they support later questions about probability, standard error, and inference.
3Memorize core probability conditions and rules, including independence, conditional probability, combinations, permutations, expected value, and common discrete and continuous distributions.
4Work regression questions by interpreting slope, intercept, residuals, r, r^2, and prediction limits rather than only memorizing formulas.
5Be comfortable converting sample means and proportions into z or t statistics and interpreting standard error.
6Use a non-programmable calculator and a z table during practice so your workflow matches the official calculator and standard-normal-table policy.
7Confirm your school's DSST credit policy and required score before scheduling or paying for the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DSST Principles of Statistics a current DSST exam?

Yes. GetCollegeCredit has an active DSST Principles of Statistics exam page, and DANTES lists Principles of Statistics under current DSST Math exam subjects.

How many questions are on DSST Principles of Statistics?

The official DSST Principles of Statistics fact sheet states that the exam contains 100 questions to be answered in 2 hours.

What score do I need on DSST Principles of Statistics?

The official exam page and fact sheet list a minimum score of 400 for the ACE credit recommendation of 3 lower-level baccalaureate semester hours. Individual institutions decide whether to award credit and may set their own requirements.

Can I use a calculator on DSST Principles of Statistics?

Yes. The official DSST Principles of Statistics fact sheet says a non-programmable calculator is permitted and that a standard normal table, also called a z table, is provided within the exam.

How much does DSST Principles of Statistics cost?

The DSST questions-and-answers page lists a $100 test fee per DSST exam and states that testing-site administrative costs are not included. DANTES funds eligible first attempts for eligible military test takers.

Is DSST Principles of Statistics available remotely?

DANTES states that Prometric offers DSST remote proctoring and that Principles of Public Speaking is the only DSST exam not available remotely. Test takers should confirm current scheduling options through Prometric.

Does DSST publish a pass rate for Principles of Statistics?

DANTES publishes a FY24 military pass rate of 36% for Principles of Statistics. That figure is for military-funded test takers and is not a general-public pass rate.