1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data

In Exercises 21–28, determine which of the four levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) best describes the given data.

Areas of States A data set consists of the areas of each of the 50 United States.

In Exercises 29–32, identify the level of measurement of the data as nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio. Also, explain what is wrong with the given calculation.

Social Security Numbers As part of a project in a statistics class, students report the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, and the average (mean) of those digits is computed to be 4.7.

Countable For each of the following, categorize the nature of the data using one of these three descriptions: (1) discrete because the number of possible values is finite; (2) discrete because the number of possible values is infinite but countable; (3) continuous because the number of possible values is infinite and not countable.

a. Exact lengths of the feet of members of the band the Monkees

Countable For each of the following, categorize the nature of the data using one of these three descriptions: (1) discrete because the number of possible values is finite; (2) discrete because the number of possible values is infinite but countable; (3) continuous because the number of possible values is infinite and not countable.

c. The number of albums sold by the Monkees band

Directions in Degrees Standard navigation systems used for aviation and boating are based on directions measured in degrees, with north represented by 0° Relative to north, east is 90°, south is 180°, and west is 270°. What is the level of measurement of such directions measured in degrees?

Discrete/Continuous Data Which of the following describe discrete data

c. The exact times that randomly selected students spend on smart phones during the preceding week

E-Cigarette Survey In a survey of 36,000 adults, 3.7% said that they regularly use E-cigarettes (based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics).

a. Identify the sample and population.

Sampling Method The patients were recruited among those at a Veterans Affairs hospital. What type of sampling best describes the way in which the subjects were chosen: simple random sample, systematic sample, convenience sample, stratified sample, cluster sample? Does the method of sampling appear to adversely affect the quality of the results?

Exercises 5–8 refer to the study of an association between which ear is used for cell phone calls and whether the subject is left-handed or right-handed. The study is reported in “Hemispheric Dominance and Cell Phone Use,” by Seidman et al., JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Vol. 139, No. 5. The study began with a survey e-mailed to 5000 people belonging to an otology online group, and 717 surveys were returned. (Otology relates to the ear and hearing.)

Experiment or Observational Study Is the study an experiment or an observational study? Explain.

Sampling Method Assume that the population consists of all students currently in your statistics class. Describe how to obtain a sample of six students so that the result is a sample of the given type.

a. Simple random sample

Sampling Method Assume that the population consists of all students currently in your statistics class. Describe how to obtain a sample of six students so that the result is a sample of the given type.

b. Systematic sample

Sampling Method Assume that the population consists of all students currently in your statistics class. Describe how to obtain a sample of six students so that the result is a sample of the given type.

c. Stratified sample

Sampling Method Assume that the population consists of all students currently in your statistics class. Describe how to obtain a sample of six students so that the result is a sample of the given type.

d. Cluster sample

Sampling Method Assume that the population consists of all students currently in your statistics class. Describe how to obtain a sample of six students so that the result is a sample of the given type.

e. Convenience sample

E-Cigarette Survey In a survey of 36,000 adults, 3.7% said that they regularly use E-cigarettes (based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics)

b. Is the value of 3.7% a statistic or parameter?