Chapter 8

Sampling Methods and the Central Limit Theorem

True/False

1. In stratified random sampling, a population is divided into strata using naturally occurring geographic
or other boundaries. Then strata are randomly selected and a random sample is collected from each strata.
Answer: False

2. In cluster sampling, a population is divided into clusters using naturally occurring geographic or other
boundaries. Then clusters are randomly selected and a random sample is collected from each cluster.
Answer: True

3. Sampling a population is often necessary because the cost of studying all the items in the population is
prohibitive.
Answer: True

4. It is often not feasible to study the entire population because it is impossible to observe all the items in
the population.
Answer: True

5. A simple random sample assumes that each item or person in the population has an equal chance of
being included.
Answer: True

6. The standard error of the mean is also be called sampling error.

Answer: False

7. When systematic random sampling is used, the central limit theorem cannot be applied.
Answer: False

8. When using stratified random sampling, the sampling error will be zero.
Answer: False

9. In cluster sampling, a population is divided into subgroups called clusters and a sample is randomly
selected from each cluster.
Answer: False
10. In stratified random sampling, a population is divided into subgroups called strata and a sample is
randomly selected from each stratum.
Answer: True

11. When systematic random sampling is used, the central limit theorem cannot be applied.
Answer: False

12. When using systematic random sampling, the sampling error will be zero.
Answer: False

13. If probability sampling is done, each item in the population has a chance of being chosen.
Answer: True

14. The items or individuals of the population are arranged in a file drawer alphabetically by date
received. A random starting point is selected and then every kth member of the population is selected for
the sample. This sampling method is called simple random sampling.
Answer: False

15. If the size of a sample equals the size of the population, we would not expect any error in estimating
the population parameter.
Answer: True

16. We can expect some difference between sample statistics and the corresponding population
parameters. This difference is called the sampling error.
Answer: True

17. A sampling distribution of the means is a probability distribution consisting of a list of all possible
sample means of a given sample size selected from a population and the probability of occurrence
associated with each sample mean.
Answer: True

18. The central limit theorem implies that sampling with an adequate sample size provides good
estimates of population parameters.
Answer: True

19. The central limit theorem implies that samples of size one or two are adequate to estimate population
parameters.
Answer: False
20. If a population is not normally distributed, the sampling distribution of the sample means tends to
approximate a normal distribution.
Answer: True

21. The Central Limit Theorem states that for a sufficiently large sample the sampling distribution of the
means of all possible samples of size n generated from the population will be approximately normally
distributed with the mean of the sampling distribution equal to 2 and the variance equal to 2/n.
Answer: False

22. The Central Limit Theorem states that if the sample size, n, is sufficiently large, the sampling
distribution of the means will be approximately normal no matter whether the population is normally
distributed, skewed, or uniform.
Answer: True

23. Fish and game wardens estimate the average weight of the fish or game population by using creel
checks and other devices. Based on this sample data, a warden might estimate that the mean weight of
Coho salmon caught in Lake Michigan is 2.5 pounds. This single number is called a point estimate of the
unknown population parameter.
Answer: True

24. Based on the sampling distribution of the means and the central limit theorem, the sample mean can
be used as a good estimator of the population mean, assuming that the size of the sample is sufficiently
large.
Answer: True

25. If 40 samples of size 21 were selected from a population of 22,493, we would expect the mean of the
sample means and the population mean to be close but not exactly equal.
Answer: True

26. An estimate of the population mean based on a large sample is less reliable than an estimate made
using a small sample.
Answer: False

27. If the sample size keeps getting larger and larger and finally equals the size of the population, there
would be no error in predicting the population mean because the sample size and the size of the
population would be the same.
Answer: True

28. The standard error of the mean will vary according to the size of the sample. As the sample size n
gets larger, the variability of the sample means gets smaller.
Answer: True
29. To determine the value of the standard error of the mean, the total error is divided by the sample size.
Answer: False

Multiple Choice

30. What is it called when all the items in a population have a chance of being selected in a sample?
A) Random sampling
B) z-score
C) Sampling error
D) Nonprobability sampling
Answer: A

31. What is the difference between a sample mean and the population mean called?
A) Standard error of the mean
B) Sampling error
C) Interval estimate
D) Point estimate
Answer: B

32. What sample statistic is used to estimate a population parameter?

A) Parameter
B) Sampling error
C) Point estimate
D) Interval estimate
Answer: C

33. Suppose we select every fifth invoice in a file. What type of sampling is this?
A) Random
B) Cluster
C) Stratified
D) Systematic
Answer: D

34. All possible samples of size n are selected from a population and the mean of each sample is
determined. What is the mean of the sample means?
A) Exactly the same as the population mean
B) Larger than the population mean
C) Smaller than the population mean
D) Cannot be estimated in advance
Answer: A
35. When dividing a population into subgroups so that a random sample from each subgroup can be
collected, what type of sampling is used?
A) simple random sampling
B) systematic sampling
C) stratified random sampling
D) cluster sampling
Answer: C

36. The true sampling error is usually not known because

A) a sample is collected from a population
B) µ is a random variable
C) σ2 is unknown
D) The sample mean cannot be computed
Answer: A

37. Based on the central limit theorem, the size of the sampling error is
A) Directly related to the sample size, i.e., the larger the sample size the larger the sampling error.
B) Directly related to the population mean, i.e., the larger the mean, the larger the sampling error
C) Inversely related to the sample size, i.e., the larger the sample size the smaller the sampling error.
D) Inversely related to the population standard deviation, i.e., the smaller the standard deviation, the
larger the sampling error.
Answer: C

38. For a distribution of sample means constructed by sampling 5 items from a population of 15,
A) the sample size is 15
B) there will be 3003 possible sample means
C) the mean of the sample means will be 3
D) the standard error will be 1
Answer: B

39. As the size of the sample increases, what happens to the shape of the sampling means?
A) Cannot be predicted in advance
B) Approaches a normal distribution
C) Positively skewed
D) Negatively skewed
Answer: B

40. Manufacturers were subdivided into groups by volume of sales. Those with more than $100 million
in sales were classified as Class A large; those from $50 to $100 million as Class A medium size; and
those between $25 and $50 million..., and so on. Samples were then selected from each of these groups.
What is this type of sampling called?
A) Simple random
B) Stratified random
C) Cluster
D) Systematic
Answer: B
41. An experiment involves selecting a random sample of 256 middle managers at random for study.
One item of interest is their mean annual income. The sample mean is computed to be $35,420 and the
sample standard deviation is $2,050. What is the standard error of the mean?
A) $128.125
B) $138.36
C) $2,050
D) $8.01
Answer: A

42. The wildlife department has been feeding a special food to rainbow trout fingerlings in a pond. A
sample of the weights of 40 trout revealed that the mean weight is 402.7 grams and the standard deviation
8.8 grams. What is the probability that the mean weight for a sample of 40 trout exceeds 405.5 grams?
A) 0.3783
B) 0.0228
C) 1.0
D) 0.5
Answer: B

43. Suppose a research firm conducted a survey to determine the average amount of money steady
smokers spend on cigarettes during a week. A sample of 100 steady smokers revealed that the sample
mean is $20 and the sample standard deviation is $5. What is the probability that a sample of 100 steady
smokers spend between $19 and $21?
A) 0.4772
B) 0.0228
C) 0.9544
D) $20
Answer: C

44. The mean weight of trucks traveling on a particular section of I-475 is not known. A state highway
inspector needs an estimate of the mean. He selects a random sample of 49 trucks passing the weighing
station and finds the mean is 15.8 tons, with a standard deviation of the sample of 4.2 tons. What is
probability that a truck will weigh less than 14.3 tons?
A) 0.0062
B) 0.3632
C) 0.1368
D) 0.4938
Answer: A
45. A statewide sample survey is to be made. First, the state is subdivided into counties. Seven counties
are selected at random and further sampling is concentrated on these seven counties. What type of
sampling is this?
A) Simple random
B) Nonproportional
C) Cluster
D) Stratified
Answer: C

46. Which of the following is the standard error of the mean?

A) 
B) x/n

C) n
D) s
Answer: C

47. Mileage tests were conducted on a randomly selected sample of 100 newly developed automobile
tires. The average tread wear was found to be 50,000 miles with a standard deviation of 3,500 miles.
What is the best estimate of the average tread life in miles for the entire population of these tires?
A) 50,000
B) 3,500
C) (50,000/100)
D) (3,500/100)
Answer: A

48. The mean of all possible sample means is equal to the

A) population variance.
B)  2 n .
C) sample variance.
D) population mean.
Answer: D

49. Sampling error is the difference between a corresponding sample statistic and the
A) sample mean.
B) biased sample.
C) population parameter.
D) chance error.
Answer: C
50. For a population that is not normally distributed, the distribution of the sample means will
A) be negatively skewed.
B) approach the normal distribution.
C) be positively skewed.
D) take the same shape as the population.
Answer: B

Fill-in-the-Blank

51. Sampling from a population may be preferred because studying all the items in a population may be
too _____________.
Answer: costly

52. Sampling from a population may be preferred because, contacting or listing the entire population
would be too ___________ consuming.
Answer: time

53. Sampling from a population may be preferred because, sometimes collecting statistics requires that
products be ___________.
Answer: destroyed

54. How many different samples of size 3 can be collected from a population of ten items?
___________
Answer: 120

55. What type of sampling is it when a population is first divided into subgroups and then a sample is
selected from each subgroup? _________
Answer: stratified random sampling

56. Auditors may select every 20th file starting with say, the 5th file in the top drawer. Then file
numbers 25, 45, 65, 85, . . . are audited. What type of sampling is this? _________________
Answer: systematic

57. What will the sampling distribution of the mean be if a population is normally distributed?
___________________________
Answer: normally distributed

58. What is the name of the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of the sample means called?
______________________
Answer: standard error of the mean
59. The process of making statements about a population based on a sample from the population is called
______________________
Answer: statistical inference

60. What is a characteristic of a population called? _______________

Answer: parameter

61. What is the relationship of the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of the mean to the
standard deviation of the population under study? ___________
Answer: smaller

62. For a sampling distribution of the means, what percent of the means would be between ± 1.96
standard deviations? ________________________
Answer: 95%

63. As the sample size (n) increases, what happens to the spread or dispersion of the distribution of the
sample means? ___________
Answer: decreases

64. If the sample size equals the population size, what is the sampling error? _________
Answer: zero

65. For populations scattered in a wide area, what is the preferred technique for sampling?
____________
Answer: cluster sampling

66. Which sampling method would be best to use if the population can be divided into homogeneous
subgroups? ______________________
Answer: stratified random sampling

67. Which sampling method would you use if every k-th item in the population sequence is selected?
______________________
Answer: systematic random sampling

Multiple Choice

Use the following to answer questions 68-71:

An accounting firm is planning for the next tax preparation season. From last year's returns, the firm
collects a systematic random sample of 100 filings. The 100 filings showed an average preparation time
of 90 minutes with a standard deviation of 140 minutes.
68. What assumptions do you need to make about the shape of the population distribution of all possible
tax preparation times to make inferences about the average time to complete a tax form?
A) The population distribution is skewed to the right.
B) The population distribution is skewed to the left.
C) The population distribution is normal.
D) The shape of the population distribution does not matter.
Answer: D

69. What is the standard error of the mean?

A) 14 minutes
B) 140 minutes
C) 1.4 minutes
D) 90 minutes
Answer: A

70. What is the probability that the mean completion time will be more than 120 minutes?
A) Approximately zero
B) 0.0832
C) 0.4168
D) 0.0162
Answer: D

71. What is the probability that the mean completion time is between 1 and 2 hours, i.e., 60 and 120
minutes?
A) Approximately 1.
B) 0.1664
C) 0.8336
D) 0.9676
Answer: D

Use the following to answer questions 72-75:

A group of statistics students decided to conduct a survey at their university to find the average (mean)
amount of time students spend studying per week. Based on a simple random sample, they surveyed 144
students. The statistics showed that students studied an average of 20 hours per week with a standard
deviation of 10 hours.

72. What is the standard error of the mean?

A) 0.83
B) 10
C) 0.5
D) 2
Answer: A
73. What is the probability that a sample mean would exceed 20 hours per week?
A) 1.0
B) 0.5
C) 1.96
D) Cannot be calculated based on the given information.
Answer: B

74. What is the probability of finding a sample mean less than 18 hours?
A) 0.4820
B) 0.4920
C) 0.0080
D) 0.0180
Answer: C

75. What is the probability that average student study time is between 18 and 22 hours?
A) 0.9640
B) 0.0160
C) 0.0360
D) 0.9840
Answer: D

Use the following to answer questions 76-79:

The Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test scores are normally distributed with a mean of 100 and a standard
deviation of 15.

76. What is the probability that a person would score 130 or more on the test?
A) 0.0228
B) 0.9772
C) 0.4772
D) 0.9544
Answer: A

77. What is the probability that a person would score between 85 and 115?
A) 0.3413
B) 0.6826
C) 1.00
D) very likely
Answer: B
78. You enrolled in a class of 25 students. What is the probability that the class' average IQ exceeds
130?
A) 0.0228
B) 0.9772
C) Approximately zero
D) 0.9544
Answer: C

79. Given a class with 25 students, what is the probability that the class' average IQ score is between 85
and 115?
A) 0.4987
B) 3.00
C) 0.0026
D) 0.9974
Answer: D

Use the following to answer questions 80-83:

Truck tire life is normally distributed with a mean of 60,000 miles and a standard deviation of 4,000
miles.

80. What is the probability that a tire will last 72,000 miles or more?
A) 0.0013
B) 0.9987
C) 0.4987
D) 0.9544
Answer: A

81. What is the probability that a tire lasts between 54,000 and 66,000 miles?
A) 0.4332
B) 0.8664
C) 1.00
D) very likely
Answer: B

82. You bought four tires. What is the probability that the average mileage of the four tires exceeds
66,000 miles?
A) 0.0013
B) 0.9987
C) 0.4987
D) 0.9544
Answer: A
83. For a set of four tires, what is the probability that the average tire life is between 57,000 and 63,000
miles?
A) 0.4332
B) 0.8664
C) 1.00
D) very likely
Answer: B

Essay

84. In practice, researchers collect a sample of size “n” and compute point estimates of population
parameters. Based on the Central Limit Theorem, how can sampling error be reduced?
Answer: Increasing the sample size;

85. What are the two population parameters that specify the location and dispersion for a normal
distribution?
Answer: μ or the population mean and  2 or the population variance

86. What are the two population parameters that specify the location and dispersion for the sampling
distribution of the mean?
Answer: μ or the population mean and  2 n or the population standard error

87. How is the Central Limit Theorem helpful when computing probabilities?
Answer: The Central Limit Theorem allows the use of the normal distribution and the standard normal z
to compute probabilities.