Question 1

Which of the following best describes the term 'statistics'?

Accepted Answer

The study of how to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret numerical information from data.

Question 2

A manager receives 7 boxes containing 40 cables each and chooses one box at random, then tests 8 cables from that box. What is the population in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

All cables in the 7 boxes.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a census?

Accepted Answer

Testing every cable in all boxes received.

Question 4

Which type of statistics is used when summarizing data using tables and graphs?

Accepted Answer

Descriptive statistics

Question 5

A researcher collects survey data from a sample of voters to estimate the preferences of the entire voting population. What type of statistics is being used?

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics

Question 6

Which of the following best defines a simple random sample?

Accepted Answer

A sample where each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Question 7

In simple random sampling 'with replacement', what does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A member of the population can be selected more than once.

Question 8

Which of the following is an observational study?

Accepted Answer

A researcher reviews medical records to collect data.

Question 9

Which sampling method involves dividing the population into nonoverlapping groups and then taking a simple random sample from each group?

Accepted Answer

Stratified sampling

Question 10

A hospital wants to survey every 50th patient discharged. What sampling technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

Systematic sampling

Question 11

In cluster sampling, which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

All members from selected clusters are included in the sample.

Question 12

A population has 299 members and you want a sample of size 5 using systematic sampling. What is the value of $k$?

Accepted Answer

$k = 59$

Question 13

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates an experimental study?

Accepted Answer

A researcher assigns students to two groups and gives one group a new teaching method.

Question 14

Which sampling method is most appropriate when the population is naturally divided into sections, and all members from selected sections are included?

Accepted Answer

Cluster sampling

Question 15

If a researcher divides patients by length of hospital stay and then randomly samples from each group, which sampling method is being used?

Accepted Answer

Stratified sampling

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a simple random sample?

Accepted Answer

Members are selected based on their characteristics.

Question 17

A researcher uses a random-number table to select patients from a numbered list. What sampling method is this?

Accepted Answer

Simple random sampling

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics?

Accepted Answer

Descriptive statistics summarize data; inferential statistics make predictions about a population based on a sample.

Question 19

Which sampling method would be most appropriate for a national survey where hospitals are randomly selected from each region and all discharged patients from those hospitals are surveyed?

Accepted Answer

Cluster sampling

Question 20

In systematic sampling, if the population size is $N$ and the sample size is $n$, what is the formula to calculate the sampling interval $k$?

Accepted Answer

$k = \frac{N}{n}$

Chapter 1: The Nature of Statistics – Foundations and Sampling Methods

Study Guide - Practice Questions

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