GER1000 AY2019/20 Sem 1

Quiz 5 and solutions

1. Two different samples of size 100 each were randomly picked from a population of 10000
people. For each of the samples, the 95% confidence interval for the average height of the
population was calculated. What can be said about the average population height, with
respect to the two confidence intervals?

(A) It must not lie in any of these confidence intervals.

(B) It must lie in exactly one of these confidence intervals.
(C) It must lie in both of these confidence intervals.
(D) It may or may not lie in any of these confidence intervals.

Explanation: The confidence intervals may or may not contain the population parameter,
which is the average population height (see Chapter 3 Unit 8 Slide 89).

2. Two simple random samples were drawn from a population through a similar sampling
process, differing only in sample size. Sample A has a sample size of 500 and sample B has a
sample size of 100. The average height from each sample is used to estimate the average
population height.

Consider the following statements, with respect to estimating the population parameter:
(I) Average height from sample A is likely to have less random error than the average
height from sample B.
(II) Average height from sample A is likely to have less bias than the average height from
sample B.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are true?

(A) Both (I) and (II).
(B) Only (I).
(C) Only (II).
(D) Neither (I) nor (II).

Explanation: Having a larger sample size minimizes random error.

3. Recall in Unit 8, the 95% confidence interval of the population rate was reported as (0.18,
0.22). Consider the following statements:
(I) There is a 95% chance that this confidence interval contains the sample rate.
(II) If many samples of similar sizes were collected, about 5% of the confidence intervals
from these samples will not contain the population rate.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are true?

(A) Both (I) and (II).
(B) Only (I).
(C) Only (II).
(D) Neither (I) nor (II).
 Explanation: (I) is false, because the confidence interval will definitely contain the sample
rate (see Chapter 3 Unit 8 Slide 86). (II) is true, since about 95% of the confidence intervals
from these samples will contain the population rate. (see Chapter 3 Unit 8 Slide 89).

4. The following is an excerpt from the article, Effects of a 12-week exercise training programme
on aerobic fitness, body composition, blood lipids and c-reactive protein in adolescents with
obesity.

“Twenty-four obese (BMI >/=25) male adolescents, aged 13 to 14 years, were recruited from
a secondary school and randomly assigned into either one of 2 groups: Exercise Group (EG; n
= 12; mean age 13.75 ± 1.06 years) and Control Group (CG; n = 12; mean age 14.25 ± 1.54
years). … … Institutional Ethics Committee approved this study, and informed consent was
obtained from all participants and their parents. All participants also received verbal
explanations of the exercise programme and the tests prior to commencement of this study.”

Suppose we wish to generalise the finding to all male adolescents in Singapore. Which of the
following statements best describes the extent of selection bias in this study?

(A) There is likely to be selection bias because the sample size is only 24.
(B) There is likely to be selection bias because participants were recruited from only one
secondary school.
(C) Selection bias is minimized because informed consent was obtained from all
participants and their parents.
(D) Selection bias is minimized because participants were randomly assigned into exercise
and control groups.

Explanation: See Chapter 3 Unit 6 Slide 69. Selection bias is due to an imperfect sampling
frame or a non-probability sampling plan, and (B) suggests an imperfect sampling frame. (C)
concerns response rate and non-response bias. (D) is about randomized assignment in the
design of the study (See Chapter 1).

5. To find out the average GER1000 final exam mark last semester, the final exam marks of all
GER1000 students from last semester were gathered. An average from this data was
calculated. Assuming that no data was lost in the process, which of the following can cause
this average to differ from the true average?
(A) Random error
(B) Selection bias
(C) Non-response bias
(D) None of the above

Explanation: This is a census data, so the average obtained from this data is the population
average.