Introduction To Probability and Statistics 3rd Edition Mendenhall Test Bank

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Statistics 3rd Edition Mendenhall Test

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Chapter 8—Large-Sample Estimation
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following best describes an unbiased estimator?

a. any sample statistic used to approximate a population parameter
b. a sample statistic which has an expected value equal to the value of the population
parameter
c. a sample statistic whose value is usually less than the value of the population
parameter
d. any estimator whose standard error is relatively small
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Higher Order - Understand
2. Which of these options is the best definition of a point estimate?

a. It is the average of the sample values.
b. It is the average of the population values.
c. It is a single value that is the best estimate of an unknown population parameter.
d. It is a single value that is the best estimate of an unknown sample statistic.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Remember
3. From a sample of 200 items, 12 items are defective. In this case, what will be the point
estimate of the population proportion defective?
a. 0.06
b. 0.12
c. 12
d. 16.67
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 316 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Higher Order - Apply
4. Which of the following best defines statistical estimation?

a. a process of inferring the values of unknown population parameters from those of
known sample statistics
b. a process of inferring the values of unknown sample statistics from those of known
population parameters
c. any procedure that views the parameter being estimated not as a constant, but, just
like the estimator, as a random variable
d. a sampling procedure that matches each unit from population A with a “twin” from
population B so that any sample observation about a unit in population A
automatically yields an associated observation about a unit in population B
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 318 TOP: 1–4
5. What is the type of sample statistic that is used to make inferences about a given type of
population parameter?
a. the estimator of that parameter
b. the confidence level of that parameter
c. the confidence interval of that parameter
d. the point estimate of that parameter
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Remember
6. Why do those who engage in estimation insist on random sampling, rather than convenience
sampling or judgment sampling?
a. because random sampling avoids the errors inherent in matched pairs sampling
b. because random sampling avoids the errors inherent in work sampling
c. because random sampling eliminates the systematic error or bias that arises in
non-random sampling
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4
7. What is a sample statistic such that the mean of all its possible values differs from the
population parameter that the statistic seeks to estimate?
a. an efficient estimator
b. an inconsistent estimator
c. a biased estimator
d. a Bayesian estimator
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Remember
8. Whenever a sampled population is normally distributed, or whenever the conditions of the

Central Limit Theorem are fulfilled, what may be said of the sample mean ?
a. It is a consistent estimator of the population mean, , because the mean of the
sampling distribution of the sample mean equals .
b. It is an efficient estimator of the population mean, , because the mean of the
c. It is an unbiased estimator of the population mean, , because the mean of the
d. It is an efficient estimator of the population mean, , because the mean of the
sampling distribution of the sample proportion equals p.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 312-314 TOP: 1–4
9. In order to estimate the average number of kilometres that students living off-campus
commute to classes every day, the following statistics were given: n = 50, = 5.21, and s =
2.48. Which of the values below would be the best point estimate of the true population
mean ?
a. 1.96
b. 2.10
c. 5.21
d. 7.07
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4
10. Which of the following best describes the term “margin of error”?
a. It is the difference between the point estimate and the true value of the population
parameter.
b. It is the critical value times the standard error of the estimator.
c. It is the smallest possible sampling error.
d. It is a measurement of the variability of the true value of the population parameter.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Remember
11. Which of these options provides the best interpretation of a 90% confidence interval
estimate of the population mean ?
a. If we repeatedly draw samples of the same size from the same population, 90% of
the values of the sample means will result in a confidence interval that includes
the population mean .
b. There is a 90% probability that the population mean will lie between the lower
confidence limit (LCL) and the upper confidence limit (UCL).
c. We are 90% confident that we have selected a sample whose range of values does
not contain the population mean .
d. We are 90% confident that 10% the values of the sample means will result in a
confidence interval that includes the population mean .
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 5
12. Which of these statements is NOT a property of the confidence interval estimate of the
population mean?
a. Its width narrows when the sample size increases.
b. Its width narrows when the value of the sample mean increases.
c. Its width widens when the confidence level increases.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
13. A 99% confidence interval estimate for a population mean is determined to be 85.58 to
96.62. If the confidence level is reduced to 90%, what happens to the confidence interval for
?
a. It becomes wider.
b. It remains the same.
c. It becomes narrower.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
14. In developing an interval estimate for a population mean for which the population standard
deviation was 8, the interval estimate was 40.52 3.24. If had equalled 16, what
would the interval estimate have been?
a. 40.52 6.48
b. 40.52 11.24
c. 48.52 11.24
d. 81.04 6.48
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
BLM: Higher Order - Analyze
15. In developing an interval estimate for a population mean, a sample of 40 observations was
used. The interval estimate was 17.25 2.42. If the sample size had been 160 instead of 40,
what would the interval estimate have been?
a. 17.25 1.21
b. 17.25 9.68
c. 34.50 4.82
d. 69.00 9.68
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
16. After constructing a confidence interval estimate for a population mean, you believe that the
interval is useless because it is too wide. In order to correct this problem, what should you
do?
a. increase the population size
b. increase the sample mean
c. increase the confidence coefficient
d. increase the sample size
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 325 TOP: 5
17. Which of the following is NOT a part of the formula for constructing a confidence interval
estimate of the population proportion?
a. a point estimate of the population proportion
b. the standard error of the sampling distribution of the sample proportion
c. the confidence coefficient
d. the value of the population proportion
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5
18. Which of the following must hold before one can make use of the standard normal
distribution in order to construct a confidence interval estimate for the population proportion
p?
a. and ) are both greater than 5, where is the sample proportion.
b. np and n(1 – p) are both greater than 5.
c. (p + ) and (p – ) are both greater than 1.
d. The sample size is greater than 5.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5
BLM: Remember
19. What would be the lower limit of a confidence interval, at the 95% level of confidence, for
the population proportion if a sample of size 100 were to have 30 successes?
a. 0.2102
b. 0.2959
c. 0.3041
d. 0.3898
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5
20. Which of the following best describes an interval estimate?

a. It is a sampling procedure that matches each unit from population A with a “twin”
from population B, so that any sample observation about a unit in population A
automatically yields an associated observation about a unit in population B.
b. It is an estimate of a population parameter that is expressed as a range of values
within which the unknown but true parameter presumably lies.
c. It is a sample statistic such that the mean of all its possible values equals the
population parameter the statistic seeks to estimate.
d. It is the sum of an estimator’s squared bias plus its variance.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 320 TOP: 5
BLM: Remember
21. Which of the following are possible options when estimating a population mean , where
the population standard deviation is known?
a.
We may define the limits of an interval estimate of as .
b.
We may define the limits of an interval estimate of as .
c. We may choose a smaller z-value, construct a narrower confidence interval, and
achieve a higher confidence level.
d. We may choose a larger z-value, construct a wider confidence interval, and achieve
a lower confidence level.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
BLM: Remember
22. To what does the term “confidence level” refer?

a. the absolute number of interval estimates that can be expected to contain the actual
value of the parameter being estimated when the same procedure of interval
construction is used again and again
b. the percentage of interval estimates that can be expected to contain the actual value
of the parameter being estimated when the same procedure of interval construction
is used again and again
c. the range of values among which an unknown population parameter can
presumably be found
d. the sum of an estimator’s squared bias plus its variance, which indicates the degree
to which it is consistent, efficient, and unbiased
23. A random sample of 400 students was surveyed to determine an estimate for the proportion
of all students who had attended at least three football games. The estimate revealed that
between 0.372 and 0.458 of all students attended. Given this information, which of the
following is the approximate value of the confidence coefficient?
a. 0.95
b. 0.92
c. 0.90
d. 0.88
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 320 | 326 TOP: 5
24. A 95% confidence interval for the population proportion of professional tennis players who
earn more than $2 million a year is found to be between 0.82 and 0.88. What was the
approximate sample size used to obtain this information?
a. 545
b. 387
c. 382
d. 233
25. A recent survey indicates that the proportion of season ticket holders for the school hockey
team who renew their seats is about 0.80. Using a 95% confidence interval and a margin of
error of 0.025, what is the approximate size of the sample needed to estimate the true
proportion who plan to renew their seats?
a. 689
b. 697
c. 984
d. 1179
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5
26. If the population deviation is known and we wish to estimate the population mean
with 95% confidence, which of the following would be the appropriate critical z-value to
use?
a. 1.28
b. 1.645
c. 1.96
d. 2.33
27. If the population deviation is known and we wish to estimate the population mean
with 90% confidence, what is the appropriate critical z-value to use?
a. 1.28
b. 1.645
c. 1.96
d. 2.33
28. A statistician wishes to reduce the margin of error associated with a confidence interval
estimate for a population proportion p. What does she or he need to do?
a. reduce the confidence level 1 –
b. decrease the sample size n
c. take another sample
d. increase the sample size n
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 325-326 TOP: 5
29. In order to construct a 95% confidence interval estimate for the difference between the
means of two normally distributed populations, where the unknown population variances are
assumed not to be equal, the following summary statistics were computed from two
independent samples: , , , , , and . In
this case, what is the upper confidence limit?
a. 6.78
b. 18.78
c. 77.3
d. 89.3
30. In developing a confidence interval estimate for the difference between two population
means, which of the following will result from an increase in the size of the sample?
a. a wider confidence interval
b. a narrower confidence interval
c. a smaller critical z-value
d. a larger critical z-value
31. When two independent random samples of sizes and have been selected from
populations with means and and variances and , respectively, which of the
following is a property of the sampling distribution of ?
a. If the sampled populations are normally distributed, then the sampling distribution
of is exactly normal only when and are both 30 or more.
b. If the sampled populations are normally distributed, then the sampling distribution
of is exactly normal regardless of the sizes of and .
c. If the sampled populations are not normally distributed, then the sampling
distribution of is approximately normally distributed regardless of the sizes
of and .
d. If the sampled populations are not normally distributed, then the sampling
distribution of is approximately normally distributed only if is 30 or
more.
BLM: Remember
32. Suppose you wish to estimate the difference between two population means when the
population variances are known. Which critical values of z can you use to develop the 90%
confidence interval estimate?
a. 2.33
b. 1.96
c. 1.645
d. 1.28
33. Suppose you wish to estimate the difference between two population means when the
population variances are known. Which critical value of z can you use to develop the 99%
confidence interval estimate?
a. 2.575
b. 2.325
c. 1.645
d. 1.275
34. If a 90% confidence interval estimate for the difference between two population proportions
is to be constructed, what would the confidence coefficient be?
a. 0.90
b. 0.45
c. 0.10
d. 0.05
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 320
TOP: 7 BLM: Remember
35. If we wish to construct a 95% confidence interval estimate for the difference between two
population proportions, what would the confidence level be?
a. 1.96
b. 0.95
c. 0.475
d. 0.05
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 320
TOP: 7 BLM: Higher Order - Understand
36. What is the z-value needed to construct a 97.8% confidence interval estimate for the
difference between two population proportions?
a. 2.29
b. 2.02
c. 1.96
d. 1.65
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 320
TOP: 7 BLM: Higher Order - Apply
37. What is the z-value needed to construct a 92.5% confidence interval estimate for the
difference between two population proportions?
a. 2.58
b. 2.33
c. 1.96
d. 1.78
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7
38. Suppose the population standard deviation equals 10. What is the sample size needed to
estimate, with 95% confidence, a population mean within 1.5 units of its true value?
a. 171
b. 121
c. 54
d. 13
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 323 | 342-343
TOP: 8–9 BLM: Higher Order - Analyze
39. What is the approximate z-value you would use if you wish to construct an 80% lower
confidence bound for the population mean ?
a. 0.84
b. 1.28
c. 1.96
d. 2.33
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 323 | 340-341
TOP: 8–9 BLM: Higher Order - Apply
40. What is the approximate z-value you would use if you wish to construct an 85% upper
confidence bound for the population proportion p?
a. 2.33
b. 1.96
c. 1.65
d. 1.04
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 340-341
41. What is the approximate z-value you would use if you wish to construct a 92% lower
confidence bound for the difference between population means in the case of large samples?
a. 2.58
b. 1.65
c. 1.41
d. 1.06
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 340-341
42. What is the approximate z-value you would use if you wish to construct a 98% upper
confidence bound for the difference between population proportions?
a. 2.33
b. 2.05
c. 1.65
d. 1.41
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 340-341
43. Suppose you wish to estimate a population mean based on a sample of n observations.
What sample size is required if you want your estimate to be within 2 standard deviations of
with probability equal to 0.95, if you know the population standard deviation is 12?
a. 239
b. 196
c. 139
d. 98
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 323 | 342-343
TOP: 8–9 BLM: Higher Order - Analyze
TRUE/FALSE
1. An interval estimate is an interval that provides an upper and a lower bound for a specific
population parameter whose value is unknown.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 313 | 320 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
2. A statistic is said to be unbiased if its sampling distribution has the smallest standard error.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

3. A point estimate is a single number that is used as an estimate of a population parameter or

population characteristic. It is usually derived from a random sample from the population of
interest.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4
BLM: Remember
4. The maximum distance between an estimator and the true value of a parameter is called the
margin of error.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
5. An unbiased estimator of a population parameter is an estimator whose variance is the same

as the actual value of the population variance.

6. The sample standard deviation, s, is an unbiased estimator of the population standard

deviation, .

7. An estimator is a random variable calculated from a random sample that provides either a
point estimate or an interval estimate for some population parameter.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
8. The error of estimation is the distance between an estimate and the estimated parameter.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 315 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
9. An estimator is unbiased if the mean of its sampling distribution is the population parameter
being estimated.

BLM: Remember
10. The process of inferring the values of unknown population parameters from those of known
sample statistics is called estimation.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 311-312 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
11. A point estimate is an estimate of a population parameter, expressed as a single numerical

value.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
12. A sample statistic such that the mean of all its possible values differs from the population
parameter that the statistic seeks to estimate is a biased estimator.

BLM: Remember
13. A sample statistic such that the mean of all its possible values equals the population
parameter that the statistic seeks to estimate is an unbiased estimator.

BLM: Remember
14. The margin of error equals the sum of an estimator’s squared bias plus its variance.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
15. The error of estimation is the difference between a statistic computed from a sample and the
corresponding parameter computed from the population.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
16. If a store manager is interested in estimating the mean amount spent per customer per visit
at her store, the sample mean would be the approximate point estimate.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

17. If the campaign manager of the Conservative Party is interested in estimating the proportion
of voters who will support the Conservative Party in the next federal election, the sample
proportion, , would be the appropriate point estimate.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

18. If a store manager has recently stated that she estimates the mean amount spent per
customer per visit to be between $38.75 and $72.23, the numbers $38.75 and $72.23 are
considered point estimates for the true population mean.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

19. A point estimate of a population parameter will likely be different from the corresponding
population value due to the fact that point estimates are subject to sampling error.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

20. Increasing the sample size, n, will result in a point estimate that is closer to the true value of
the population parameter.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

21. The concept of margin of error applies directly when estimating the population mean, ,
but is not applicable when estimating the population proportion, p.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
22. A point estimate is an estimate of the range of a population parameter.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

23. An interval estimate is an estimate of the range for a sample statistic.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 | 320

TOP: 1–4 BLM: Remember
24. A point estimate is a single value estimate of the value of a population parameter.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Remember
25. Statisticians routinely construct interval estimates by setting the point estimate as the centre
of the interval and then creating a range of other possible values, known as the margin of
error, below and above the centre.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 320-322 TOP: 1–4

26. The margin of error is a half-width of an interval estimate, equal to the difference between
the point estimate on the one hand and either the lower or the upper limit of the interval on
the other hand.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 320-322 TOP: 1–4

27. The unknown parameter of a population is presumed to lie at the centre of the interval that
the point estimate and margin of error create.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 | 321-322

TOP: 1–4 BLM: Higher Order - Understand
28. A point estimate is subject to sampling error and will almost always be different from the
true value of the population parameter.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

29. As the sample size increases and other factors remain the same, the width of a confidence
interval for a population mean tends to decrease.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323 TOP: 5

30. Suppose a 95% confidence interval for the mean height of a 12-year-old male in Canada is
137 to 165 cm. It can be said that 95% of 12-year-old males in Canada have height greater
than or equal to 137 cm and less than or equal to 165 cm.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 5

31. If the population variance is increased and other factors remain the same, the width of a
confidence interval for the population mean tends to increase.

32. The sample proportion is an unbiased estimator of the population proportion, p.

BLM: Remember
33. The confidence coefficient is the probability that a confidence interval will enclose the
estimated parameter.

BLM: Remember
34. Given that n = 49, = 75, and = 7, the lower and upper limits of the 68.26%
confidence interval for the population mean are 74 and 76, respectively.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

35. In the formula , the refers to the area in the lower tail or upper tail of
the sampling distribution of the sample mean.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 322-323 TOP: 5

BLM: Remember
36. In order to construct a confidence interval estimate of the population proportion p, the value
of p is needed.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5

BLM: Remember
37. In developing an interval estimate for the population mean , the population standard
deviation was assumed to be 6. The interval estimate was 45.0 1.5. Had equalled
12, the interval estimate would be 90 3.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

38. A 90% confidence interval estimate for a population mean is determined to be 62.8 to
73.4. If the confidence level is reduced to 80%, the confidence interval for becomes
narrower.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

39. When constructing a confidence interval for a population parameter, we generally set the
confidence coefficient ( ) close to 0 (usually between 0 and 0.05) because it is the
probability that the interval does not include the actual value of the population parameter.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5

BLM: Remember
40. Suppose that a 95% confidence interval for the population proportion p is given by .
This notation means that we are 95% confident that p falls between and .
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

41. Given that n = 400 and = 0.10, the lower limit of the 90% confidence interval for the
population proportion p is 0.1247.

42. The term confidence level refers to an estimate of a population parameter, expressed as a
range of values within which the unknown but true parameter presumably lies.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5

BLM: Remember
43. The term confidence interval refers to ranges of values among which an unknown
population parameter can presumably be found.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5
BLM: Remember
44. The two limits that define an interval estimate are known as confidence limits.

BLM: Remember
45. A confidence interval for the population mean will contain the true value of as long
as the point estimate is within the lower and the upper confidence limits.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 | 327

46. A confidence interval for the population proportion p may or may not contain the true value
of p.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 | 327

47. The wider the confidence interval, the more likely it is that the interval contains the true
value of the population parameter.

BLM: Remember
48. If a population is right skewed, the point estimate will be pushed to the right of the middle
of the confidence interval estimate.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 313-314 TOP: 5

BLM: Remember
49. Based on the formula we can assume that the point estimate of the
population mean will be at the centre of the confidence interval estimate.

BLM: Remember
50. A 95% confidence interval for the population proportion p is found to be between 0.214 and
0.336. Based on this information, the sample proportion that generated the confidence
interval was 0.122.

51. A 90% confidence interval for the population mean is found to be between 5.28 and
6.72. Based on this information, the sample mean that generated the confidence interval
was 6.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

52. In constructing a confidence interval for a population parameter, such as or p, the margin
of error is directly dependent on the value of the point estimate.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 321 | 323 | 326

53. Increasing the confidence coefficient from 0.90 to 0.95 and decreasing the sample size from
100 to 50 has unknown impact on the margin of error.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5

54. One way to reduce the margin of error in a confidence interval is to decrease the confidence
coefficient.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5

55. For a given sample size and given confidence coefficient, the closer the population
proportion p to 1.0, the greater the margin of error will be.

56. Suppose a 95% confidence interval for the mean height of a 12-year-old male in Canada is
137 to 165 cm. In repeated sampling, 95% of the intervals constructed will contain the
interval from 137 to 165 cm.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 6

57. Suppose a 90% confidence interval for the mean time it takes to serve a customer at a
drive-in bank is 120 seconds to 220 seconds. In repeated sampling, 90% of the intervals
constructed using the appropriate formula will contain the actual mean time.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 6

58. Suppose a 90% confidence interval for the mean time it takes to serve a customer at a
drive-in bank is 120 seconds to 220 seconds. At the 90% confidence level, there is not
enough evidence to conclude that the mean service time is not 200 seconds.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 6
59. The difference between two sample means is an unbiased estimator of the
difference between two population means .
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 314 TOP: 6

BLM: Remember
60. The best estimator of the difference between two population means is the difference
between two sample means .

BLM: Remember
61. The standard error of the sampling distribution of is given by the formula
SE =

BLM: Remember
62. When two independent random samples of sizes and have been selected from
populations with means and and variances and , respectively, the standard
error of the sampling distribution of is found by taking the square root of the sum of
the two population variances.

63. In estimating the difference between two population means, if a 90% confidence interval
estimate includes 0, then we can conclude that there is a 90% chance that the difference
between the two population means is 0.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 324-325

TOP: 6 BLM: Higher Order - Understand
64. Increasing the confidence level for a confidence interval estimate for the difference between
two population means, with all other things held constant, will result in a wider confidence
interval estimate.

BLM: Higher Order
65. When estimating the difference between two population means, one can use the properties
of the sampling distribution of two corresponding sample means provided the two
samples are selected independently of one another.

BLM: Remember
66. A simple extension of the estimation of a binomial proportion p is the estimation of the
difference between two binomial proportions and .
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

BLM: Remember
67. Assume that two independent random samples of sizes and have been selected from
binomial populations with parameters and , respectively. The standard error of the
sampling distribution of (the difference between the sample proportions) can be
estimated by
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

BLM: Remember
68. Assume that two independent random samples of sizes and have been selected from
binomial populations with parameters and , respectively. The sampling distribution
of can be approximated by a normal distribution provided that and
are all greater than 5.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

BLM: Remember
69. Two independent random samples of sizes and have been selected from
binomial populations with respective parameters and , resulting in 38 and 65
successes, respectively. Then, the point estimation of the difference is –27.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

70. Two independent random samples of sizes and have been selected from
binomial populations with respective parameters and , resulting in 38 and 65
successes, respectively. Then the standard error of is estimated as 0.077.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

71. One-sided confidence bounds can be constructed for the population mean and population
proportion p, but not for (the difference between population means) or (the
difference between population proportions).
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 340-341

TOP: 8–9 BLM: Remember
72. A 95% lower confidence bound (LCB) for the population mean can always be
constructed using the following equation: LCB =
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 340-341

TOP: 8–9 BLM: Higher Order - Understand
73. A sociologist wanted to discover whether there was any difference between Eastern
Canadians and Western Canadians in the collective acceptance of multiculturalism as being
beneficial to the country. To test the hypothesis that there was essentially no difference, it
would be sufficient to collect a convenient sample size from both populations.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

BLM: Remember
PROBLEM
1. A random sample of 45 door-to-door salespersons were asked how long on average they
were able to talk to the potential customer. Their answers revealed a mean of 8.5 minutes
with a variance of 9 minutes. Give a point estimate for the average conversation length and
the margin of error.
ANS:
Point estimate is = 8.5 minutes. Margin of error = 1.96 s/ = 1.96(3)/ = 0.88
minutes.
PTS: 1 REF: 316 TOP: 1–4

2. Twenty retired people living within the Crystal city limits were asked if they would use
public transportation if a system was implemented. Their responses are listed below where
Y = Yes and N = No.
Y N N N N N Y Y Y Y
N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Use these data to estimate p, the true proportion of all retired people living in the city limits
who would use a public transportation system, and find the estimated margin of error.
ANS:
The point estimate is = 12/20 = 0.6. The margin of error is =
(1.96)(0.1095) = 0.2147.
PTS: 1 REF: 316 TOP: 1–4

3. A proportion of a basketball team’s season ticket holders renew their tickets for the next
season. Let p denote the true proportion of ticket holders who buy tickets again for the
following season. A random sample of 125 ticket holders revealed 90 people plan on
renewing their tickets. Give a point estimate for p and find the estimated margin of error.
ANS:
The point estimate is = 90/125 = 0.72. The margin of error is =
(1.96)(0.0402) = 0.079.
PTS: 1 REF: 316 TOP: 1–4

4. Random sample of n = 1000 observations from a binomial population produced x = 728

successes. Estimate the binomial proportion p and calculate the margin of error.
ANS:
The point estimate for p is = 728/1000 = 0.728, and the margin of error is
approximately 1.96 (1.96)(0.0141) = 0.0276.
PTS: 1 REF: 316 TOP: 1–4 BLM: Higher Order
5. Random sample of n = 50 observations from a quantitative population produced = 65.4

and = 2.8. Give the best point estimate for the population mean , and calculate the
margin of error.
ANS:
The point estimate for is = 65.4, and the margin of error in estimation with = 2.8
and n = 50 is approximately 1.96 = 0.4638.
PTS: 1 REF: 316 TOP: 1–4

Telephone Poll
Radio and television stations often air controversial issues during broadcast time and ask
viewers to indicate their agreement or disagreement with a given stand on the issue. A poll
is conducted by asking those viewers who agree to call a certain 900 telephone number and
those who disagree to call a second 900 telephone number. All respondents pay a fee for
their calls.
6. Please refer to Telephone Poll paragraph. Does this polling technique result in a random
sample?
ANS:
This method of sampling would not be random, since only interested viewers (those who
were adamant in their approval or disapproval) would reply.
PTS: 1 REF: 269 TOP: 1–4

7. Please refer to Telephone Poll paragraph. What can be said about the validity of the results
of such a survey? Do you need to be concerned about a margin of error in this case? Justify
your conclusion.
ANS:
The results of such a survey will not be valid, and a margin of error would be useless, since
its accuracy is based on the assumption that the sample was random.
PTS: 1 REF: 313-315 TOP: 1–4

BLM: Higher Order - Evaluate
8. Independent samples of = 400 and = 400 observations were selected from binomial
populations 1 and 2, and = 100 and = 127 successes were observed, respectively.
a. What is the best point estimator for the difference ( ) in the two binomial
proportions?
b. Calculate the approximate standard error for the statistic used in (a).
c. What is the margin of error for this point estimate?
ANS:
a. = 100/400 = 0.25, and = 127/400 = 0.3175. The best estimate of
is = 0.25 – 0.3175 = - 0.0675.
b. The standard error of is estimated by SE = = 0.0318.

c. The approximate margin of error is 1.96 SE = 0.0623.
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 1–4

9. A random sample of 45 salespersons were asked how long, on average, they were able to
talk to a potential customer. Their answers revealed a mean of 8.5 minutes with a variance
of 9 minutes. Construct a 95% confidence interval for , the time it takes an salesperson to
talk to a potential customer.
ANS:
8.5 1.96 (3)/ = 8.5 0.88 LCL = 7.62, and UCL = 9.38
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
10. A study conducted by a commuter train transportation authority involved surveying a

random sample of 200 passengers. The results show that a customer had to wait, on average,
9.3 minutes, with a standard deviation of 6.2 minutes, to buy a ticket. Construct a 95%
confidence interval for , the true mean waiting time.
ANS:
9.3 (1.96)(6.2)/ = (8.44, 10.16)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

11. A study conducted by the doctors of a particular hospital involved monitoring a random
sample of 75 patients. The results showed that it took an average of 3 cc of tranquillizer,
with a standard deviation of 0.2 cc, to put a patient to sleep before surgery. Construct a 95%
confidence interval for , the true mean amount of tranquillizer needed to put any patient to
sleep.
ANS:
3 (1.96)(0.2)/ = (2.95, 3.05)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

12. A random sample of 60 people revealed that it took an average of 55 minutes, with a
standard deviation of 10 minutes, for a person to complete a loan application at the bank.
Construct a 90% confidence interval for , the true time it takes any person to complete the
loan form.
ANS:
55 (1.645)(10)/ = (52.88, 57.12)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

13. An auto mechanic knows that the average time it takes to replace a car radiator is 70
minutes, with a standard deviation of 12 minutes. This average is based on a random sample
of 50. Construct a 90% confidence interval for , the true time it takes any auto mechanic to
replace a car radiator.
ANS:
70 (1.645)(12)/ = (67.21, 72.79)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5
14. A random sample of 80 jars of grape jelly has a mean weight of 568 g, with a standard
deviation of 48.28 g. Construct a 99% confidence interval for , the true weight of a jar of
jelly.
ANS:
568 (2.575)(48.28)/ = (554.1, 581.9)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

15. A study was conducted to see how long Dr. Kennedy’s patients had to wait before their
scheduled appointments. A random sample of 33 patients showed the average waiting time
was 22 minutes, with a standard deviation of 16 minutes. Construct a 99% confidence
interval for , the true mean waiting time.
ANS:
22 (2.575)(16)/ = (14.83, 29.17)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

16. A college graduate school administrator is interested in knowing what proportion of

applicants would like to be accepted into a particular chemistry program. Of a random
sample of 75 applicants, 12 requested entry into the program. Construct a 95% confidence
interval for p, the true proportion of all applicants who want acceptance into the program.
ANS:
= 12/75 = 0.16
= 0.16 (1.96) = 0.16 0.083 = (0.077, 0.243)
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

17. A lawn service owner is testing new environmentally friendly weed killers. He discovers
that a particular weed killer is effective 89% of the time. Suppose that this estimate was
based on a random sample of 60 applications. Construct a 90% confidence interval for p, the
true proportion of weeds killed by this particular brand.
ANS:
= 0.89 (1.645) = 0.89 0.07 (0.82, 0.96)
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

18. Some people claim there are health benefits in eating less meat. A health club committee
reported the proportion of vegetarians in their city is 0.13. Suppose this estimate was based
on a random sample of 80 people. Construct a 99% confidence interval for p, the true
proportion of all vegetarians in this particular city.
ANS:
= 0.13 (2.575) = (0.033, 0.227)
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

Shuttle Bus Study Narrative
An airport bus driver conducted a study to see what proportion of customers use the shuttle
bus to get to and from the parking lot. The results of his study are listed below, where B =
customer used the bus and W = customer walked.
B B B W W B B
W W W W B B
B B
B W B B B W W
B B B B W B
W B
W W B B W W B
W W B B B B
B B
B B W
19. Refer to Shuttle Bus Study Narrative. Construct a 95% confidence interval for p, the true
proportion of all people who used the bus.
ANS:
= 30/48 = 0.625; = 0.625 (1.96) = 0.625
0.137 = (0.488, 0.762)
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

20. Refer to Shuttle Bus Study Narrative. Construct a 90% confidence interval for p, the true
proportion of all people who used the bus.
ANS:
= 0.625 (1.645) = (0.51, 0.74)
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

Childcare Expenses Narrative
A childcare agency was interested in examining the average amount that families pay per
child per month for childcare outside the home. A random sample of 64 families was
selected and the mean and standard deviation were computed to be $675 and $80,
respectively.
21. Refer to Childcare Expenses Narrative. Find a 95% confidence interval for the true average
amount spent per child per month for childcare outside the home.
ANS:
675 (1.96)(80)/ = 675 19.6 = (655.4, 694.6)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

22. Refer to Childcare Expenses Narrative. Interpret the interval in the previous question.
ANS:
One can estimate with 95% confidence that the true average amount spent per child per
month for childcare outside the home is between $655.40 and $694.60.
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 5

Public versus Private Childcare Expenses Narrative
A social worker was interested in determining whether there is a significant difference in the
average monthly cost per child for childcare outside the home between publically supported
facilities and privately owned facilities. Two independent random samples were selected,
yielding the following information:
Publically Supported Facilities Privately Owned facilities

Sample Size 64 64
Sample Mean ($) 725 675
Standard Deviation ($) 95 80
23. Refer to Public versus Private Childcare Expenses Narrative. Find a 90% confidence
interval for the true difference in average monthly cost of childcare between publically
supported and privately owned facilities.
ANS:
= (725 – 675) (1.645)(241.02) = 50 25.538 = ($24.462,

$75.538)
PTS: 1 REF: 331 TOP: 5
24. Refer to Public versus Private Childcare Expenses Narrative. Interpret the confidence
interval in the previous question.
ANS:
One can estimate with 90% confidence that the difference in average monthly cost per child
for childcare outside the home between publically supported and privately owned facilities
is roughly between $24.50 and $75.50.
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 | 331 TOP: 5

25. Refer to Public versus Private Childcare Expenses Narrative. Can one conclude there is a
significant difference in the average cost of childcare between the publically supported
facilities and the privately owned facilities? Justify your answer.
ANS:
Since 0 is not within the limits of the confidence interval, it is not likely the means are the
same. Therefore, one can conclude there is a difference in the average cost of childcare
between publically supported and privately owned facilities.
PTS: 1 REF: 327 | 331 TOP: 5

26. A statistician knows that the population of light bulb lifetimes is normally distributed and
has a standard deviation of 30 hours. A simple random sample of 36 bulbs yields a mean
lifetime of 504 hours. Construct and interpret a 99% confidence interval for the mean
lifetime of all such bulbs.
ANS:
or . The statistician
can be 99% confident that light bulbs last between 491.125 and 516.875 hours on average.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

Lifetime of Laptop Batteries Narrative
The manufacturer of a particular battery pack for a laptop computer claims the battery pack
can function for 8 hours, on average, before having to be recharged. A random sample of 36
such battery packs was selected and tested. The mean and standard deviation were found to
be 6 hours and 1.8 hours, respectively.
27. Refer to Lifetime of Laptop Batteries Narrative. Find a 90% confidence interval for the true
average time the battery pack can function before having to be recharged.
ANS:
6 (1.645)(1.8)/ =6 0.4935 = (5.5065, 6.4935)
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

28. Refer to Lifetime of Laptop Batteries Narrative. Based on the interval in the previous
question, can the manufacturer’s claim be rejected? Justify your answer.
ANS:
Since 8 is outside the limits of the 90% confidence interval, one can conclude, with 90%
confidence, the claim is in error.
PTS: 1 REF: 327 | 323-324 TOP: 5

College Beach Volleyball Narrative
A student government representative at a local university claims that 60% of the

undergraduate students favour a move from court volleyball to beach volleyball. A random
sample of 250 undergraduate students was selected and 140 students indicated they favoured
a move to beach volleyball.
29. Refer to College Beach Volleyball Narrative. Find a 95% confidence interval for the true
proportion of undergraduate students who favour the move to beach volleyball.
ANS:
, = 0.56 (1.96) = 0.56
0.0615 = (0.4985, 0.6215)
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

30. Refer to College Beach Volleyball Narrative. Based on the interval in the previous question,
can the representative’s claim be rejected? Justify your answer.
ANS:
Since 0.60 is within the limits of the 95% confidence interval, the claim cannot be rejected.
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 5

NBA Series Narrative

A TV pollster believed that 70% of all TV households would be tuned in to Game 6 of the
2009 NBA Championship series between the LA Lakers and the Orlando Magic. A random
sample of 500 TV households was selected and 365 indicated they were tuned into the
game.
31. Refer to NBA Series Narrative. Find a 99% confidence interval for the true proportion of
TV households that tuned in to the game.
ANS:
, = 0.73 2.575) = 0.73
0.0511 = (0.6788, 0.7811).
PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

32. Refer to NBA Series Narrative. Based on the interval in the previous question, can the
pollster’s claim be rejected? Justify your answer.
ANS:
Since 0.70 is within the limits of the 99% confidence interval, the claim cannot be rejected.
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 5

33. A comparison between the average jail time of bank robbers and car thieves yielded the
following results (in years), respectively: = 80, = 3.2, = 0.6, = 90, = 2.8,
and = 0.7. Estimate , the difference in mean years of jail time, and find the
margin of error for your estimate.
ANS:
The point estimate = - = 3.2 – 2.8 = 0.4.
The margin of error = 1.96 = (1.96)(0.997) = 0.195.

34. A parent believes the average height for 14-year-old girls differs from that of 14-year-old
boys. Estimate the difference in height between girls and boys, using a 95% confidence
interval. The summary data are listed below. Based on your interval, do you think there is a
significant difference between the true mean height of 14-year-old girls and boys? Explain.
14-year-old girls’ summary data: = 40, = 155 cm, = 6.1 cm
14-year-old boys’ summary data: = 40, = 146 cm, = 9.1 cm
ANS:
= (155 – 146) (1.96)(1.732) = (5.61, 12.39)
Since this interval does not contain 0, the sample data support the conclusion that the
heights of girls and boys differ.
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 327 TOP: 6

35. A dieter believes that the average number of calories in a homemade peanut butter cookie is
more than in a store-bought peanut butter cookie. Estimate the difference in the mean
calories between the two types of cookies using a 90% confidence interval. The data are
= 40, = 180, = 2, = 45, = 179, and = 4, respectively.
ANS:
= (180 – 179) (1.645)(0.6749) = (–0.11, 2.11)

36. It is of interest to know if the average time it takes police to reach the scene of an accident
differs from that of an ambulance to reach the same accident. Use the summary data listed
below to estimate the difference in the times (measured in minutes) between the police and
the ambulance, using a 99% confidence interval. Interpret the meaning of the interval thus
obtained.
Police: = 60, = 4.2, = 0.08
Ambulance: = 55, = 4.5, = 0.10
ANS:
= (4.2 – 4.5) (2.575)(0.05614) = (–0.445, –0.155)

Since this interval does not contain 0, the sample data provide evidence that the times differ.
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 327 TOP: 6

Laptop Batteries Narrative
A computer laboratory manager was in charge of purchasing new battery packs for her lab
of laptop computers. She narrowed her choices to two models that were available for her
machines. Since the two models cost about the same, she was interested in determining
whether there was a difference in the average time the battery packs would function before
needing to be recharged. She took two independent random samples and computed the
following summary information:
Battery Pack Model 1 Battery Pack Model 2
Sample Size 30 30
Sample Mean 6 hours 6.5 hours
Standard Deviation 1.8 hours 2.6 hours
37. Refer to Laptop Batteries Narrative. Find a 95% confidence interval for the difference in
average functioning time before recharging in the two models.
ANS:
= (6 – 6.5) (1.96)(0.577) = –0.5 1.131 = (–1.631, 0.631)

38. Refer to Laptop Batteries Narrative. Find Based on the interval in the previous question, can
one conclude there is a difference in the true average functioning time before recharging
between the two models of battery packs? Justify your answer.
ANS:
Since 0 is within the limits of the confidence interval, it is possible that the means are the
same. Therefore one cannot conclude there is a difference in average functioning time
before recharging between the two models of battery packs.
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 | 331 TOP: 6

Ground Beef Weights Narrative
The meat department of a local supermarket packages ground beef using meat trays of two
sizes: one designed to hold approximately 700 g of meat, and a larger one that holds
approximately 1.4 kg. A random sample of 36 packages of the smaller meat trays produced
weight measurements with an average of 715 g and a standard deviation of 90 g.
39. Refer to Ground Beef Weights Narrative. Construct a 99% confidence interval for the
average weight of all packages sold in the smaller meat trays by this supermarket.
ANS:
With n = 36, = 715, s = 90, and = 0.01, a 99% confidence interval for is
approximated by = 715 2.575 (90)/ = 715 38.625, or 676.375 <
< 753.625 grams.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 6

40. Refer to Ground Beef Weights Narrative. What does the phrase “99% confident” mean?
ANS:
In repeated sampling, 99% of all intervals constructed in this manner will enclose . Hence,
we are fairly certain that this particular interval contains . (In order for this to be true, the
sample must be randomly selected).
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 6

41. Refer to Ground Beef Weights Narrative. Suppose that the quality control department of this
supermarket chain intends that the amount of ground beef in the smaller trays should be 700
g on average. Should the confidence interval above concern the quality control department?
Explain.
ANS:
No. Since the value = 700 g is contained in the interval in the previous question, it is one
of several possible values for . The quality control department would have no reason to be
concerned that the trays are being over- or underfilled.
Ground Beef Weights Narrative
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 6

Online Time Usage Narrative
An Internet server conducted a survey of 400 of its customers and found that the average
amount of time spent online was 12.5 hours per week, with a standard deviation of 5.4
hours.
42. Refer to Online Time Usage Narrative. Do you think that the random variable x, the number
of hours spent online, has a mound-shaped distribution? If not, what shape do you expect?
ANS:
The distribution of hours spent online is probably skewed to the right, with the majority of
people spending a relatively small number of hours online, and with a few people spending
a very large number of hours online.

43. Refer to Online Time Usage Narrative. If the distribution of the original measurements is
not normal, you can still use the standard normal distribution to construct a confidence
interval for , the average online time for all users of this Internet server. Why?
ANS:
As long as the sample size n is large (in this case n = 400), the Central Limit Theorem will
guarantee the approximate normality of the sampling distribution of , which is the basic
statistic used in the large sample confidence interval.
PTS: 1 REF: 322-323 TOP: 6
44. Refer to Online Time Usage Narrative. Construct a 95% confidence interval for the average
online time for all users of the particular Internet server.
ANS:
The 95% confidence interval for is approximated by = 12.5 1.96
(5.4)/ = 12.5 0.5292, or 11.9708 < < 13.0292.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 6

45. Refer to Online Time Usage Narrative. If the Internet server claimed that its users averaged
15 hours of use per week, would you agree or disagree? Explain.
ANS:
Since the value = 15 is not contained in the confidence interval, it is not one of the likely
values for .
PTS: 1 REF: 324-327 TOP: 6

46. A study was conducted to compare the mean numbers of police emergency calls per
eight-hour shift in two districts of Toronto. Samples of 100 eight-hour shifts were randomly
selected from the police records for each of the two regions, and the number of emergency
calls was recorded for each shift. The sample statistics are listed below:
Sample Statistic Region 1 Region 2

Sample size 100 100
Sample mean 2.8 3.5
Sample variance 1.64 2.84
Find a 90% confidence interval for the difference in the mean numbers of police emergency
calls per shift between the two districts of the city. Interpret the interval.
ANS:
The 90% confidence interval for is approximated by
= (2.8 – 3.5) 1.645 (0.2117) = –0.7 0.3482, or

–1.0482 < < –0.3518.
One can estimate with 90% confidence that the difference in the mean numbers of police
emergency calls per shift between the two districts of Toronto is between –1.0482 and
–0.3518. In repeated sampling, all intervals constructed in this manner will enclose
( ) 90% of the time. Hence, we are fairly certain that this particular interval
encloses .
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 324-325 TOP: 6

47. An experiment was conducted to compare two diets A and B, designed for weight reduction.
Two groups of 50 overweight dieters each were randomly selected. One group was placed
on diet A and the other on diet B, and their weight losses were recorded over a 30-day
period. The means and standard deviations of the weight-loss measurements (in kg) for the
two groups are shown in the table.
Sample Statistic Diet A Diet B

Sample size 50 50
Sample mean 10.7 kg 7.1 kg
Sample standard deviation 1.11 kg 0.80 kg
Find a 95% confidence interval for the difference in mean weight loss for the two diets.
Interpret your confidence interval.
ANS:
The 95% confidence interval for is approximated by =

(10.7– 7.1) 1.96 (0.1935) = 3.6 0.37926, or 3.22074 < < 3.97926 kg.
One can estimate with 95% confidence that the difference in the mean weight loss for the
two diets is roughly between 3.22 and 3.98 kg. In repeated sampling, all intervals
constructed in this manner will enclose ( ) 95% of the time. Hence, we are fairly
certain that this particular interval encloses .
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 324-325 TOP: 6

Number of Salon Hair Colourings Narrative
A stylist at the Hair Care Palace gathered data on the number of hair colourings given on
Saturdays and on weekdays. Her results are listed below. Assume the two random samples
were independently taken from normal populations.
Saturday: = 50 and = 14
Weekday: = 65 and = 13
48. Refer to Number of Salon Hair Colourings Narrative. Find the point estimate of p1 – p2 and
the margin of error.
ANS:
The point estimate is = (14/50 – 13/65) = 0.08.
The margin of error is = 1.96 = 0.158.
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

49. Refer to Number of Salon Hair Colourings Narrative. Estimate the difference in the true
proportions with a 99% confidence interval. Interpret this interval.
ANS:
= 0.08 (2.575)(0.0806) = 0.08 0.208 = (–0.128, 0.288)

Since this interval contains 0, it is highly possible that there may be no difference in these
proportions.
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 324-325 TOP: 7

Defective Glass Bottles Narrative
A manufacturing plant has two assembly lines for producing glass bottles. The plant
manager was concerned about whether the proportion of defective bottles differs between
the two lines. Two independent random samples were selected and the following summary
data computed:
Line 1 Line 2
Sample Proportion of Defectives 0.10 0.13
Sample Size 100 100
50. Refer to Defective Glass Bottles Narrative. Find a 95% confidence interval for the true
difference in proportion of defective bottles produced by the two assembly lines.
ANS:
= (0.10 – 0.13) (1.96)(0.0451) = –0.03 0.0883

= (–0.1183, 0.0583).
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 TOP: 7

51. Refer to Defective Glass Bottles Narrative. Based on the interval in the previous question,
can one conclude there is a difference in proportion of defective bottles produced by the two
lines? Justify your answer.
ANS:
Since 0 is within the limits of the confidence interval, it is possible the proportions of
defective bottles produced by the two assembly lines are the same. Therefore, one cannot
conclude there is a difference in the proportions of defective bottles produced by the two
lines.
PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 7

52. Instead of paying to support welfare recipients, many people want them to find jobs. If
necessary, they want each province to create public service jobs for those who cannot find
jobs in private industry. In a survey of 800 voters, 400 Conservatives and 400 Liberals, 75%
of the Conservatives and 90% of the Liberals favoured the creation of public service jobs.
Use a large-sample estimation procedure to compare the difference between the proportions
of Conservatives and Liberals who favour creating public service jobs in the population of
registered voters. Explain your conclusions.
ANS:
0.75, = 0.90, = 400. The approximate 95% confidence interval is
= (0.75 – 0.90) (1.96)(0.0263) = –0.15 0.0515

or –0.2015 < < –0.0985.
Since the value = 0 is not in the confidence interval, it is not likely that .
We should conclude that there is a difference in the proportion of Conservatives and
Liberals who favour creating public service jobs. It appears that the percentage of Liberal
voters is higher than the Conservative percentage.
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 327 TOP: 7

53. In a study of the relationship between birth order and university success, an investigator
found that 140 in a sample of 200 university graduates were firstborn or only children. In a
sample of 120 nongraduates of comparable age and socioeconomic background, the number
of firstborn or only children was 66. Estimate the difference between the proportions of
firstborn or only children in the two populations from which these samples were drawn. Use
a 90% confidence interval and interpret your results.
ANS:
= 140/200 = 0.70, and = 66/120 = 0.55. The approximate 90%
confidence interval is = (0.70 – 0.55) (1.645)(0.0558) =

0.15 0.092 or, 0.058 < < 0.242.
One can estimate with 90% confidence that the difference between the proportions of
firstborn or only children in the two populations from which these samples were drawn is
roughly between 0.06 and 0.24. Since the value = 0 is not in the confidence
interval, it is not likely that . It would appear that firstborn or only children do
achieve somewhat greater university success than those who are not.
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 327 TOP: 7

54. A quality control engineer wants to determine what is the proportion of defective parts
coming off the assembly line. Past experiments, based on large sample sizes, have shown
this proportion to be 0.19. What sample size does the engineer need in order to estimate,
with 90% confidence, this proportion with a margin of error of 0.12? Justify your
conclusion.
ANS:
(0.19)(0.81) = 28.9
The sample size should be at least 29.
PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

55. A researcher wants to determine the proportion of elm trees in Windsor, Ontario, dying of
Dutch elm disease. Past experiments, based on large sample sizes, have shown this
proportion to be 0.3. What sample size does the researcher need in order to estimate this
proportion to within 0.04 with 95% confidence? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
(0.3)(0.7) = 504.21
PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

56. A laboratory technician is interested in the proportion of 1 litre containers used in the lab
that are glass. How many containers should be sampled in order to estimate, with 99%
confidence, this proportion with a margin of error of less than 0.2? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
(0.5)(0.5) = 41.44
PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9
57. A provincial job service employee wishes to estimate the mean number of people who
register with the service each week. How many weeks should be sampled in order to
estimate , the mean number of weekly registrants? (The employee would like the margin of
error to be less than 0.5 with confidence of 0.95. Past records show the weekly standard
deviation to be 2.5.) Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= 96.04
The number of weeks sampled should be at least 97.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

58. In a study of radio listening habits, a station owner would like to estimate the average
number of hours that teenagers spend listening each day. If it is reasonable to assume that 
= 1.3 hours, how large a sample size is needed to be 90% confident that the sample mean is
off by, at most, 30 minutes? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= 18.29
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

59. Trish attends a yoga class four times each week. She would like to estimate the mean
number of minutes of continuous exercise until her heart reaches 90 beats per minute. If it
can be assumed that  = 1.7 minutes, how large a sample is needed so that it will be possible
to assert with 99% confidence that the sample mean has a margin of error of, at most, 0.62
minutes? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= 49.85
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

60. The postmaster at the Huntington Post Office would like to compare the delivery times to
two different locations that are the same distance from Huntington. A random sample of
letters is to be divided into two equal groups, the first to be delivered to Location A and the
second to be delivered to Location B. Each letter will be delivered on a randomly selected
day and the number of days for each letter to arrive at its destination is to be recorded. The
measurements for both groups are expected to have a range (variability) of approximately 4
days. If the estimate of the difference in mean delivery times is desired to be correct to
within 1 day, with probability equal to 0.99, how many letters must be included in each
group? (Assume .) Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
As noted in the problem, the variability of each group of measurements is the same; hence,
. Since the range, equal to 4, is approximately equal to 4 , we have 4 = 4,
or = 1.
= (1 + 1) = 13.26
The sample size should be at least 14 for each group.
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

61. A researcher wants to compare the average ages at which men and women first get their
driver’s licence. A random sample of 75 men yielded a mean and standard deviation of 17.3
and 4.7 years, respectively. A random sample of 96 women yielded a mean and standard
deviation of 19.6 and 5.1 years, respectively. If the researcher wants to estimate the mean
difference to within 1.5 years with 95% confidence, how large a sample should be taken
from each population? (Assume n1 = n2 = n.) Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= = 82.12
The sample size should be at least 83 for each population.
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

62. A childcare agency was interested in examining the amount that families pay per child per
month for childcare outside the home. A random sample of 64 families was selected and the
mean and standard deviation were computed to be $675 and $80, respectively. Find a 95%
upper confidence bound for the true average amount spent per child per month on childcare
outside the home.
ANS:
675 + (1.645)(80)/ = 675 + 16.45 = 691.45
Thus, a 95% upper confidence bound is $691.45.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 8–9

63. The manufacturer of a particular battery pack for a laptop computer claims the battery pack
can function for eight hours, on average, before having to be recharged. A random sample of
36 such battery packs was selected and tested. The mean and standard deviation were found
to be 6 hours and 1.8 hours, respectively. Find a 95% lower confidence bound for the true
average time the battery pack can function before having to be recharged. Interpret this
bound.
ANS:
6 – (1.645)(1.8)/ = 6 – 0.4935 = 5.5065. One can estimate with 95%
confidence that the true average time the battery pack can function before having to be
recharged will be no less than 5.5065 hours.
PTS: 1 REF: 322-323 | 340-341 TOP: 8–9

64. A machine produces aluminum tins used in packaging cheese. A random sample of 1000
tins was selected and 43 were found to be defective. Find a 95% upper confidence bound for
the true proportion of defective tins produced by the machine. Interpret this bound.
ANS:
,
= 0.043 + 1.645) = 0.043 + 0.0106 = 0.0536
One can estimate with 95% confidence that the true proportion of defective tins produced by
the machine will be no more than 0.0536 tins.
PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 324-325 TOP: 8–9

65. A manufacturer wishes to estimate the mean time a battery pack will function before
needing to be recharged, with a margin of error of no more than 0.5 hours and with
probability 0.95. If the standard deviation is known to be 1.5 hours, how many observations
should be included in the sample? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= 34.57
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

66. A process control engineer wishes to estimate the true proportion of defective computer
chips, with a margin of error of no more than 0.09 and with probability 0.90. How many
observations does the engineer need to include in the sample to achieve his goal? Justify
your conclusion.
ANS:
(0.5)(0.5) = 83.52
PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

67. Suppose you wish to estimate a population mean based on a random sample of n
observations, and prior experience suggests that = 13.2. If you wish to estimate
correct to within 1.8, with probability equal to 0.95, how many observations should be
included in your sample? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= = 206.59
The sample should include at least 207 observations.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

68. A questionnaire is designed to investigate attitudes about political corruption in government.

The experimenter would like to survey two different groups—Conservatives and
Liberals—and compare the responses to various “yes/no” questions for the two groups. The
experimenter requires that the sampling error for the difference in the proportions of “yes”
responses for the two groups be no more than 4 percentage points, with confidence equal
to 0.95. If the two samples are both the same size, how large should the samples be? Justify
your conclusion.
ANS:
= = 1200.5. Hence each
sample should include at least 1201 observations.
PTS: 1 REF: 336-337 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

69. You want to estimate the difference in grade point averages between two groups of students,
accurate to within 0.20 of a grade point, with confidence equal to 0.95. If the standard
deviation of the grade point measurements is approximately equal to 0.5, how many
students must be included in each group? (Assume that the groups will be of equal size.)
Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
= = 48.02
Hence, at least 49 students should be included in each group.
PTS: 1 REF: 331 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

70. Assume that the population standard deviation of annual incomes of all Manitoba residents
is $2500. How many individuals must we include in a simple random sample if we want to
be 95% confident that the population mean income lies within $150 of our sample mean
income? Justify your conclusion.
ANS:
The required sample size is at least n = 1068.
PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9

71. An airline executive estimates that 25% of all flights arrive late. How many flights must we
include in a simple random sample if we want to be 90% confident that the true population
proportion of flights that arrive late lies within 0.01 of our sample proportion? Justify your
conclusion.
ANS:
The required sample size is at least n = 5074.
PTS: 1 REF: 326 | 342-343 TOP: 8–9


Introduction To Probability and Statistics 3rd Edition Mendenhall Test Bank

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Introduction To Probability and Statistics 3rd Edition Mendenhall Test Bank

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Introduction to Probability and

Statistics 3rd Edition Mendenhall Test

1. Which of the following best describes an unbiased estimator?

2. Which of these options is the best definition of a point estimate?

4. Which of the following best defines statistical estimation?

8. Whenever a sampled population is normally distributed, or whenever the conditions of the

20. Which of the following best describes an interval estimate?

22. To what does the term “confidence level” refer?

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 313 | 320 TOP: 1–4

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

3. A point estimate is a single number that is used as an estimate of a population parameter or

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

5. An unbiased estimator of a population parameter is an estimator whose variance is the same

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

6. The sample standard deviation, s, is an unbiased estimator of the population standard

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 315 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 311-312 TOP: 1–4

11. A point estimate is an estimate of a population parameter, expressed as a single numerical

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 1–4

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 TOP: 1–4

22. A point estimate is an estimate of the range of a population parameter.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

23. An interval estimate is an estimate of the range for a sample statistic.

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 | 320

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 320-322 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 320-322 TOP: 1–4

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 315-316 | 321-322

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 312-313 TOP: 1–4

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323 TOP: 5

32. The sample proportion is an unbiased estimator of the population proportion, p.

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 314 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 320 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 322-323 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323-324 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 326-327 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 321-322 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 322 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 | 327

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 324-325 | 327

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 324 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 313-314 TOP: 5

ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 323 TOP: 5

ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: 326 TOP: 5