Problem 1.RE.2
Identify the population and the sample. Describe the sample data set.
Eighty-three doctors working in the St. Louis area were surveyed concerning their opinions on health care reform.
Problem 1.RE.6
Determine whether the number describes a population parameter or a sample statistic. Explain your reasoning.
In a survey of 1000 household food purchasers, 24.7% say that they avoid meat, dairy, and eggs produced by animals living in confined conditions. (Source: FoodPrint)
Problem 1.RE.9
Which part of the survey described in Exercise 3 represents the descriptive branch of statistics? Make an inference based on the results of the survey.
Problem 1.RE.12
Determine whether the data are qualitative or quantitative. Explain your reasoning.
The zip codes of a sample of 200 customers at a sporting goods store
Problem 1.RE.14
Determine whether the data are qualitative or quantitative. Explain your reasoning.
The marital statuses of the employees of a casino
Problem 1.RE.18
Determine the level of measurement of the data set. Explain.
The total compensations (in millions of dollars) of the ten highest-paid CEOs at U.S. public companies are listed. (Source: 24/7 Wall St.)
280.6 66.9 42.9 36.5 34.3 31.6 31.6 28.8 26.4 25.8
Problem 1.Q.6
An experiment is performed to test the effects of a new drug on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The experimenter identifies 320 people ages 7 to 44 with ADHD to participate in the experiment. The subjects are divided into equal groups according to age. Within each group, subjects are then randomly selected to be in either the treatment group or the control group. What type of experimental design is being used for this experiment?
Problem 1.Q.7a
Identify the sampling technique used in each study. Explain your reasoning.
A journalist asks people at a campground about air pollution.
Problem 1.Q.7c
Identify the sampling technique used in each study. Explain your reasoning.
A study on attitudes about smoking is conducted at a college. The students are divided by class (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior). Then a random sample is selected from each class and interviewed.
Problem 1.Q.8
Which technique used in Exercise 7 could lead to a biased study? Explain.
Problem 1.r.19
Determine whether the study is an observational study or an experiment. Explain.
Researchers conduct a study to determine whether a medication based on fish oil known as omega-3 carboxylic acids is effective in reducing the risk of cardiac events in people already at risk. In the study, 13,078 patients are randomly chosen to receive either omega-3 carboxylic acids or a placebo of corn oil daily. Researchers compare the number of cardiac events of the two groups over similar follow-up periods of time. (Source: American Heart Association)
Problem 1.r.21
200 students volunteer for an experiment to test the effects of sleep deprivation on memory recall. The students will be placed in one of five different treatment groups, including the control group.
Explain how you could design an experiment so that it uses a randomized block design.
Problem 1.r.22
200 students volunteer for an experiment to test the effects of sleep deprivation on memory recall. The students will be placed in one of five different treatment groups, including the control group.
Explain how you could design an experiment so that it uses a completely randomized design.
Problem 1.r.24
Identify the sampling technique used, and discuss potential sources of bias (if any). Explain.
A student asks 18 friends to participate in a psychology experiment.
Problem 1.r.26
Identify the sampling technique used, and discuss potential sources of bias (if any). Explain.
Law enforcement officials stop and check the driver of every third vehicle for blood alcohol content.
Problem 1.r.29
You want to know the favorite spring break destination among 15,000 students at a university. Determine whether you would take a census or use a sampling. If you would use a sampling, determine which sampling technique you would use. Explain your reasoning.
Problem 1.Q.3a
Determine whether the data are qualitative or quantitative. Explain.
A list of debit card personal identification numbers
Problem 1.Q.4b
Determine the level of measurement of the data set. Explain your reasoning.
The horsepowers of racing car engines
Problem 1.Q.5a
Determine whether the study is an observational study or an experiment. Explain.
Researchers conduct a study to determine whether cataract surgery patients experience different comfort levels during their first and second surgeries. Researchers based their results on a verbal questionnaire. (Source: Medicine)
Problem 1.T.2
Determine whether each number describes a population parameter or a sample statistic. Explain.
In a recent year, the average evidence-based reading and writing score on the SAT was 528. (Source: College Board)
Problem 1.T.3c
Identify the sampling technique used, and discuss potential sources of bias (if any). Explain.
Questioning teachers as they leave a faculty lounge, a researcher asks 45 of them about their teaching styles.
Problem 1.CR.4
In Exercises 4 and 5, determine whether the number is a parameter or a statistic. Explain your reasoning.
In 2021, the median annual salary of a first-year chemist was $58,700.
Problem 1.CR.9
In Exercises 9 and 10, determine whether the study is an observational study or an experiment. Explain.
To study the effect of using digital devices in the classroom on exam performance, researchers divided 726 undergraduate students into three groups, including a group that was allowed to use digital devices, a group that had restricted access to tablets, and a control group that was “technologyfree.” (Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Problem 1.CR.12
In Exercises 11 and 12, determine whether the data are qualitative or quantitative, and determine the level of measurement of the data set.
The six top-earning states in 2019 by median household income are listed. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
1. Maryland 2. New Jersey 3. Hawaii
4. Massachusetts 5. Connecticut 6. Alaska
Problem 1.T.4a
Determine whether the data are qualitative or quantitative, and determine the level of measurement of the data set. Explain your reasoning.
The numbers of employees at fast-food restaurants in a city are listed.
20 11 6 31 17 23 12 18 40 22 13 8 18 14 37 32 25 27 25 18
Problem 1.T.5a
Determine whether the survey question is biased. If the question is biased, suggest a better wording.
How many hours of sleep do you get on a normal night?
Problem 1.T.5b
Determine whether the survey question is biased. If the question is biased, suggest a better wording.
Do you agree that the town’s ban on skateboarding in parks is unfair?
Ch. 1 - Introduction to Statistics
