Bias Sampling Probability and Statistics

What is the branch of mathematics dealing with the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data?

• Algebra

• Geometry

• Probability

• Statistics

This occurs when a sample is collected in such a way that some members of the intended population are less likely to be included than others.

• sampling error

• sampling bias

• random sampling

• clustered sampling

28% of all Woodrow students believe Monday will be snow day. You take a sample of 50 students and find that 15 of them believe Monday will be a snow day. What does 50 represent? 

• n

• P

• phat

• standard deviation

At a particular college, 78% of all students are receiving some kind of financial aid.The school newspaper selects a random sample of 100 students and 72% of the respondents say they are receiving some sort of financial aid. Which of the following is true?

•  78% is a population and 72% is a sample.

• 72% is a population and 78% is a sample

• 78% is a parameter and 72% is a statistic

• 72% is a parameter and 78% is a statistic

In order to estimate the proportion of students that text while driving, a school administrator selects a simple random sample of students from a list of all students at the school who have parking permits. The students are called to the office, one at a time. The administrator asks each student, “Do you text while driving, even though you are not supposed to?” Based on the survey, the administrator estimates that only 2% of students with parking passes text while driving. What potential bias is present in the design of this survey and what is the likely direction of the bias?

• The sample proportion is likely an underestimate of the population proportion due to response bias.

• The sample proportion is likely an underestimate of the population proportion due to undercoverage.

• The sample proportion is likely an underestimate of the population proportion due to nonresponse.

• The sample proportion is likely an overestimate of the population proportion due to response bias.

• The sample proportion is likely an overestimate of the population proportion due to undercoverage.

Tanya wants to know the percent of people likely to attend the upcoming musical at school. She asks each person in the musical how many people they know who are coming to make a prediction. Why is this sample biased?

• Drama students are more likely to lie.

• Musicals are better attended than plays.

• The drama teacher was not asked.

• The sample is not random and not representative of the entire school population.

Answer explanation

The sample is not random and not representative of the entire school population, as it only includes people involved in the musical, leading to bias.

A student wants to know which type of pizza the students at his high school prefer. Which option would give an unbiased sample?

• Asking all the students in the hot lunch line.

• Asking 10 students from each homeroom

• Asking 100 random students, chosen by drawing names from a hat

• Asking all the 10th graders

The School Dance Committee conducts a survey to find what type of music students would like to hear at the next dance. Which sampling method is least likely to result in a biased sample?

• Call the top 20% of the senior class. 

• Interview every 10^th student as they enter the school.

• Ask every 5^th person leaving a school jazz band concert.

• Set up a hip-hop only website where students can list their 3 favorite songs if they open up the link.

The Gallup Poll asked a random sample of 1785 adults whether they attended church during the past week.  Let p-hat be the proportion of people in the sample who attended church.  A newspaper report claims that 40% of all U.S. adults went to church last week.  Suppose this claim is true. 
Calculate the standard deviation of the sampling distribution. 

• 0.0116

• 0.0117

• 0.0118

• 0.0119

The Gallup Poll asked a random sample of 1785 adults whether they attended church during the past week.  Let p-hat be the proportion of people in the sample who attended church.  A newspaper report claims that 40% of all U.S. adults went to church last week.  Suppose this claim is true. 
Calculate the standard deviation of the sampling distribution.  (Check to see if the 10% condition is met first)

• 0.0116

• 0.0117

• 0.0118

• 0.0119