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771 distance learning students at Long Beach City College responded to surveys in the 2010-11 academic year. Highlights of the summary report are listed in the table below. (Source: http://de.lbcc.edu/reports/2010-11/future/highlights.html#focus).

Lbcc distance learning survey results
Have computer at home 96%
Unable to come to campus for classes 65%
Age 41 or over 24%
Would like LBCC to offer more DL courses 95%
Took DL classes due to a disability 17%
Live at least 16 miles from campus 13%
Took DL courses to fulfill transfer requirements 71%
  • What percent of the students surveyed do not have a computer at home?
  • About how many students in the survey live at least 16 miles from campus?
  • If the same survey was done at Great Basin College in Elko, Nevada, do you think the percentages would be the same? Why?
  • 4%
  • 100

Nineteen immigrants to the U.S were asked how many years, to the nearest year, they have lived in the U.S. The data are as follows:

  • 2
  • 5
  • 7
  • 2
  • 2
  • 10
  • 20
  • 15
  • 0
  • 7
  • 0
  • 20
  • 5
  • 12
  • 15
  • 12
  • 4
  • 5
  • 10

The following table was produced:

Frequency of immigrant survey responses
Data Frequency Relative Frequency Cumulative Relative Frequency
0 2 2 19 0.1053
2 3 3 19 0.2632
4 1 1 19 0.3158
5 3 3 19 0.1579
7 2 2 19 0.5789
10 2 2 19 0.6842
12 2 2 19 0.7895
15 1 1 19 0.8421
20 1 1 19 1.0000
  • Fix the errors on the table. Also, explain how someone might have arrived at the incorrect number(s).
  • Explain what is wrong with this statement: “47 percent of the people surveyed have lived in the U.S. for 5 years.”
  • Fix the statement above to make it correct.
  • What fraction of the people surveyed have lived in the U.S. 5 or 7 years?
  • What fraction of the people surveyed have lived in the U.S. at most 12 years?
  • What fraction of the people surveyed have lived in the U.S. fewer than 12 years?
  • What fraction of the people surveyed have lived in the U.S. from 5 to 20 years, inclusive?

A “random survey” was conducted of 3274 people of the “microprocessor generation” (people born since 1971, the year the microprocessor was invented). It was reported that 48% of those individuals surveyed stated that if they had $2000 to spend, they would use it for computer equipment. Also, 66% of those surveyed considered themselves relatively savvy computer users. ( Source: San Jose Mercury News )

  • Do you consider the sample size large enough for a study of this type? Why or why not?
  • Based on your “gut feeling,” do you believe the percents accurately reflect the U.S. population for those individuals born since 1971? If not, do you think the percents of the population are actually higher or lower than the sample statistics? Why?

Additional information: The survey was reported by Intel Corporation of individuals who visited the Los Angeles Convention Center to see the Smithsonian Institure's road show called “America’s Smithsonian.”

  • With this additional information, do you feel that all demographic and ethnic groups were equally represented at the event? Why or why not?
  • With the additional information, comment on how accurately you think the sample statistics reflect the population parameters.
  • List some practical difficulties involved in getting accurate results from a telephone survey.
  • List some practical difficulties involved in getting accurate results from a mailed survey.
  • With your classmates, brainstorm some ways to overcome these problems if you needed to conduct a phone or mail survey.

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Source:  OpenStax, Collaborative statistics using spreadsheets. OpenStax CNX. Jan 05, 2016 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11521/1.23
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