Monday Activity
Instruction: Copy this on your notebook. Perform the activity
provided. Pass your activity in a ½ sheet of paper.
Objectives: This lesson helps students to:
a. Familiarize the steps of computing Sample Size
b. appreciate the value of computing sample size in research; and
b. Compute the z score of the given confidence level
ACTIVITY FOCUS: SEARCHING FOR Z SCORE OF CONFIDENCE LEVEL
STEPS IN COMPUTING SAMPLE SIZE
Step 1:
Know your population size. Population size refers to the total
number of people within your demographic. For larger studies, you can
use an approximated value instead of the precise number.
Precision has a greater statistical impact when you work with a smaller
group. For instance, if you wish to perform a survey among members
of a local organization or employees of a small business, the population
size should be accurate within a dozen or so people.
Larger surveys allow for a greater deviance in the actual population. For
example, if your demographic includes everyone living in the United States,
you could estimate the size to roughly 320 million people, even though the
actual value may vary by hundreds of thousands
Step 2. Determine your margin of error. Margin of error, also referred to
as "confidence interval," refers to the amount of error you wish to allow in
your results.
The margin of error is a percentage the indicates how close your sample
results will be to the true value of the overall population discussed in your
study.
Smaller margin of errors will result in more accurate answers, but choosing a
smaller margin of error will also require a larger sample.
When the results of a survey are presented, the margin of error usually
appears as a plus or minus percentage. For example: "35% of people agree
with option A, with a margin of error of +/- 5%"
In this example, the margin of error essentially indicates that, if the entire
population were asked the same poll question, you are “confident” that
somewhere between 30% (35 - 5) and 40% (35 + 5) would agree with option
A.
Step 3. Set your confidence level. Confidence level is closely related to
confidence interval (margin of error). This value measures your degree of
certainty regarding how well a sample represents the overall population
within your chosen margin of error.
In other words, choosing a confidence level of 95% allows you to claim that
you 95% certain that your results accurately fall within your chosen margin
of error.
A larger confidence level indicates a greater degree of accuracy, but it will
also require a larger sample. The most common confidence levels are 90%
confident, 95% confident, and 99% confident.
Setting a confidence level of 95% for the example stated in the margin of
error step would mean that you are 95% certain that 30% to 40% of the total
concerned population would agree with option A of your survey.
Step 4.Specify your standard of deviation. The standard of deviation
indicates how much variation you expect among your responses.
Extreme answers are more likely to be accurate than moderate results.
Plainly stated, if 99% of your survey responses answer "Yes" and only 1%
answer "No," the sample probably represents the overall population very
accurately.
On the other hand, if 45% answer "Yes" and 55% answer "No," there is a
greater chance of error.
Since this value is difficult to determine you give the actual survey, most
researchers set this value at 0.5 (50%). This is the worst kcase scenario
percentage, so sticking with this value will guarantee that your calculated
sample size is large enough to accurately represent the overall population
within your confidence interval and confidence level.
Explain terms (z-score, margin of error, standard deviation, population size).
Work through example step by step.
1. Z-Score
The z-score is a statistical value that shows how many standard
deviations a data point is from the mean (average).
In sample size computation, the z-score is chosen based on the
confidence level (how sure you want to be of your results).
Common z-scores:
90% confidence → 1.65
95% confidence → 1.96
99% confidence → 2.58
2. Margin of Error (e)
The margin of error is the allowable difference between the survey
result and the true value of the population.
It tells us how close the sample’s results are likely to be to the actual
population value.
Example: If 60% of students like online classes with ±5% margin of
error, the real value is likely between 55% and 65%.
3. Standard Deviation (p
Standard deviation measures how spread out or varied the responses
are.
In sample size formulas, researchers usually assume p = 0.5 (50%) as
a “safe estimate,” because it gives the largest possible sample size.
Example: If answers are almost the same (99% Yes, 1% No), the
standard deviation is low. If responses are close (45% Yes, 55% No),
the variation is higher.
4. Population Size (N)
The total number of people in the group you want to study
It can be small (e.g., 300 SHS students in your school) or very large
(e.g., 10 million Filipinos in a survey).
Knowing your population size helps determine how big your sample
should be.
How to Compute the Z -Score
Step 1: Recall what a Confidence Level means
The confidence level (CL) tells us how much of the distribution we
want to capture in the middle of the normal curve.
90% CL → middle 90% of the area
95% CL → middle 95% of the area
99% CL → middle 99% of the area
Step 2: Find the Remaining Area (the “tails”)
Since the confidence level covers the middle, the rest is split equally
between the two tails.
Area of each tail=1−CL/2
CL+ 95%
Area of lower Tails = (1 – 0.95) ÷ 2 = 0.025 each
🔹 Step 3: Find the Cumulative Probability
The cumulative probability (area to the left of Z) is:
Cumulative Probability=CL+Area of lower tail
For 95% CL:
Cumulative = 0.95 + 0.025 = 0.975
🔹 Step 4: Look up the Z-score in the Z-Table
Find the value in the Z-table closest to 0.9750.
This corresponds to Z = 1.96.
To determine the Z-score for a confidence level:
1. Subtract CL from 1.
2. Divide by 2 (for each tail).
3. Add the tail area to the CL to find the cumulative probability.
4. Look up that probability in the Z-table.
Activity 1
Direction: Locate the z- score of the following confidence level. Refer to the z
table provided. Show your solution.
Confidence Levels
1. 90% confidence
2. 95% confidence
3. 99% confidence
Evaluation
Direction: Read each questions carefully. Choose the letter of the correct
answer.
1. The z-score of 1.96 is commonly used when the confidence level is:
a) 90%
b) 95%
c) 99%
d) 85%
2. Which of the following best describes population size?
a) The degree of certainty about how close results are to the true value
b) The total number of people in the group being studied
c) The spread of data from the mean
d) The difference allowed between sample and population results
3. If a survey reports that 60% of respondents prefer online classes with a margin of error of
±5%, what range represents the true value?
a) 55% to 65%
b) 50% to 70%
c) 57% to 63%
d) 53% to 67%
4. Which of the following confidence levels requires the largest sample size?
a) 90%
b) 95%
c) 99%
d) 80%
5. In survey research, which value is often assumed as the standard deviation (p) for safety,
ensuring the sample size is large enough?
a) 0.2
b) 0.5
c) 0.75
d) 1.0
6. A z-score tells us:
a) The maximum number of respondents needed
b) How many standard deviations a data point is from the mean
c) The percentage of the population that agrees with the sample
d) The difference between two survey groups
7. Why do researchers usually set p = 0.5 in sample size formulas?
a) Because it gives the smallest sample size
b) Because it guarantees the largest possible sample size, ensuring accuracy
c) Because it eliminates the need for confidence levels
d) Because it avoids the use of a margin of error
8. A company has exactly 300 employees and wants to survey them. Why is it important to know
the population size in this case?
a) Precision matters more in smaller groups, so the size should be accurate
b) Large populations don’t need accurate sizes
c) It allows researchers to avoid computing the margin of error
d) It eliminates the need for a z-score
9. If a study reports that 45% answered Yes and 55% answered No, what does this tell us about
the standard deviation?
a) It is low because answers are extreme
b) It is high because the responses are close to each other
c) It is irrelevant since the population is large
d) It can be ignored when using a 95% confidence level
10. Which statement about margin of error is correct?
a) Smaller margins of error require fewer respondents
b) It shows how much the sample result may differ from the true population value
c) It is always fixed at 10%
d) It is unrelated to confidence levels
