In-class assignment

Below is simulated data for inheriting blue eyes (genes bb) from brown-eyed parents who carried a
recessive gene for blue eyes (genes Bb). In this activity, the population consists of the children of brown-
eyed parents each of whom carries a recessive gene for blue eyes. In this case, the true population
proportion is known, which is generally not the case, and p =0.25. In this case knowing the population
proportion allows us to see how well the statistics perform. Let’s fill out the table

1. For each sample of four children, calculate the sample proportion of blue-eyed children. Enter
the sample proportions in the third column of the table.
2. Observe your samples. What was the smallest sample proportion? What was the largest? To
help with this create a histogram. Use an interval width size of 0.25. Does your histogram
indicate that the sample proportions have a normal distribution?
3. Complete the fourth column by entering a running total of the number of children as samples
combined. This list should contain the following numbers: 4,8,12,…..120
4. Complete the fifth column of the table by entering a running total of the number of blue-eyed
children as samples combined.

Sample Number Number of Estimated Running Total Running Total

Blue-Eyed Proportion Number of Number of Blue-
Children n=4 Blue-Eyed Children Eyed Children
Children n=4
1 1
2 0
3 2
4 1
5 0
6 1
7 1
8 3
9 1
10 1
11 1
12 3
13 0
14 3
15 1
16 1
17 2
18 1
19 2
20 1
21 1
22 1
23 1
24 2
25 1
26 0
27 3
28 0
29 0
30 1

5. After combining the data from the first 10 samples, you now have a sample of 40 children
a. Give a point estimate for the population proportion, p, of blue-eyed children based on
the 40 children from samples (1-10).
b. Compute a 95% confidence interval for p. (Round to three decimals)
c. How big is the margin of error in your confidence interval in (b)?
6. After combining the data from the first 20 samples, you now have a sample of 80 children
a. Give a point estimate for the population proportion, p, of blue-eyed children based on
your sample of 80 children.
b. Compute a 95% confidence interval for p. (Round to three decimals)
c. How big is the margin of error in your confidence interval in (b)?
7. After combining the data from the first 30 samples, you now have a sample of 120 children
a. Give a point estimate for the population proportion, p, of blue-eyed children based on
your samples of 120 children.
b. Compute a 95% confidence interval for p. (Round to three decimals)
c. How big is the margin of error in your confidence interval in (b)?
8. Compare the margin of error for the three confidence intervals that you computed in questions
5-7. What happened to the margin of error as the sample size increased?