What statistical technique is used to estimate the parameters of a probability distribution from a sample of data?

The correct answer is C. Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE).

Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is a statistical method used to estimate the parameters of a probability distribution from a sample of data. The method is based on the principle of maximum likelihood, which states that the parameters that maximize the likelihood function are the most likely to have generated the data.

MLE is a powerful and widely used method of parameter estimation. It is often used in conjunction with other statistical methods, such as hypothesis testing and confidence interval estimation.

Here is a brief explanation of each option:

• A. Descriptive statistics: Descriptive statistics are used to summarize and describe data. They do not involve any estimation of parameters.
• B. Exploratory data analysis: Exploratory data analysis (EDA) is a set of techniques used to explore and understand data. It does not involve any estimation of parameters.
• D. Data preprocessing: Data preprocessing is the process of cleaning and transforming data so that it can be used in statistical analysis. It does not involve any estimation of parameters.