This module presents students with a number of problems related to statistical sampling and data. In particular, students are asked to demonstrate understanding of concepts such as frequency, relative frequency, and cumulative relative frequency, random samples, quantitative vs. qualitative data, continuous vs. discrete data, and other key terms related to sampling and data.
For each item below:
Identify the type of data (quantitative - discrete, quantitative - continuous, or qualitative) that would be used to describe a response.
Give an example of the data.
Number of tickets sold to a concert
Amount of body fat
Favorite baseball team
Time in line to buy groceries
Number of students enrolled at Evergreen Valley College
Most–watched television show
Brand of toothpaste
Distance to the closest movie theatre
Age of executives in Fortune 500 companies
Number of competing computer spreadsheet software packages
Sixty adults with gum disease were asked the number of times per week they used to floss before their diagnoses. The (incomplete) results are shown below:
Flossing frequency for adults with gum disease
# Flossing per Week
Frequency
Relative Frequency
Cumulative Relative Freq.
0
27
0.4500
1
18
3
0.9333
6
3
0.0500
7
1
0.0167
Fill in the blanks in the table above.
What percent of adults flossed six times per week?
What percent flossed at most three times per week?
Cum. Rel. Freq. for 0 is 0.4500
Rel. Freq. for 1 is 0.3000 and Cum. Rel. Freq. for 1 or less is 0.7500
Freq. for 3 is 11 and Rel. Freq. is 0.1833
Cum. Rel. Freq. for 6 or less is 0.9833
Cum. Rel. Freq. for 7 or less is 1
A fitness center is interested in the mean amount of time a client exercises in the center each week. Define the following in terms of the study. Give examples where appropriate.
Ski resorts are interested in the mean age that children take their first ski and snowboard lessons. They need this information to optimally plan their ski classes. Define the following in terms of the study. Give examples where appropriate.
Population
Sample
Parameter
Statistic
Variable
Data
Children who take ski or snowboard lessons
A group of these children
The population mean
The sample mean
= the age of one child who takes the first ski or snowboard lesson
A cardiologist is interested in the mean recovery period for her patients who have had heart attacks. Define the following in terms of the study. Give examples where appropriate.