Which concept below is not a main idea of estimating a population proportion?

• A. Determining the required sample size for a desired level of confidence
• B. Constructing a confidence interval to estimate the true population proportion $p$
• C. Calculating the margin of error for the sample proportion $\hat{p}$
• D. Testing whether the population mean $\mu$ is equal to a specific value

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that estimating a population proportion primarily involves determining how to use sample data to make inferences about the true proportion in the population.
2. Recognize that key concepts include constructing confidence intervals, which provide a range of plausible values for the population proportion based on the sample proportion.
3. Know that calculating the margin of error is essential because it quantifies the uncertainty or potential error in the estimate of the population proportion.
4. Realize that determining the required sample size is important to ensure the estimate has a desired level of precision and confidence.
5. Identify that testing whether the population mean equals a specific value is related to hypothesis testing about a population mean, not about estimating a population proportion, so it is not a main idea in estimating a population proportion.