Confidence Intervals

(Chapter 17)
Confidence Intervals for Proportions (pp374-375):

1) Calculate Sample Error (π ) for Proportion where:

z = degree of confidence;
n = number of valid cases overall for the proportion;
p = proportion (valid percent)

π=z (√ p (1−n p) )
Example: Proportion of Males in the sample
z = 1.96, n = 150, p = 18.0

Gender
Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Valid Males 27 17.1 18.0 18.0
Females 123 77.8 82.0 100.0
Total 150 94.9 100.0
Missing System 8 5.1
Total 158 100.0

π=1.96 (√ .18(1−.18)
150 ) π=1.96 (√ .148
150 )
π = .06

.18 - .06 <= π <= .18 + .06

Therefore the Confidence Interval = .12 - .24

We are 95% confident that the actual proportion of males is between .12 and .24 inclusive.

Categorical Proportion = 18%

Confidence p Sampling
Level z n (proportion) Error Confidence Interval
99% 2.58 150 0.18 0.08 0.10 0.26
95% 1.96 150 0.18 0.06 0.12 0.24
90% 1.65 150 0.18 0.05 0.13 0.23
99% 2.58 500 0.18 0.04 0.14 0.22
95% 1.96 500 0.18 0.03 0.15 0.21
90% 1.65 500 0.18 0.03 0.15 0.21
Confidence Intervals for Means (p.379)

1) Calculate Sample Error (x́ )

z = Confidence Level
s
s = Sample standard deviation s . e .=z
√n
n = Number of valid cases
x́ = sample means
μ= population mean
5.86
s . e .=1.96
√ 158

Sample Error = .91

x́ - .91 <= μ <= x́ +.91
Therefore the confidence interval is 11.58 – 13.40
We are 95% confidence that the mean number of visits is between 11.58 and 13.40 inclusive.

Continuous Mean = 12.5

Confidence Sampling
Level z n s (Std Dev) Error Confidence Interval
99% 2.58 158 5.86 1.20 11.29 13.69
95% 1.96 158 5.86 0.91 11.58 13.40
90% 1.65 158 5.86 0.77 11.72 13.26
99% 2.58 500 5.86 0.68 11.81 13.17
95% 1.96 500 5.86 0.51 11.98 13.00
90% 1.65 500 5.86 0.43 12.06 12.92