Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between a population and a sample in statistics?

Accepted Answer

A population is the entire group of interest, while a sample is a subset of that group.

Question 2

In a study, the average SAT math score of all freshmen at a university is reported as 514. What type of numerical description is this?

Accepted Answer

Population parameter

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of quantitative data?

Accepted Answer

Temperature measured in degrees Celsius

Question 4

A researcher wants to know the average number of hours college students spend studying per week. She surveys 200 students and finds the average is 12 hours. What is the population and what is the sample?

Accepted Answer

Population: all college students; Sample: 200 students surveyed

Question 5

Which branch of statistics involves using sample data to make generalizations about a population?

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics

Question 6

A study reports that 32% of 1000 surveyed U.S. 401(k) retirement plan participants do not know how many years their retirement savings might last. What is the sample statistic in this study?

Accepted Answer

32% of 1000 surveyed participants

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of data at the nominal level of measurement?

Accepted Answer

Movie genres (Action, Comedy, Drama)

Question 8

Which level of measurement allows for meaningful ratios and has an inherent zero?

Accepted Answer

Ratio

Question 9

A researcher divides a population of households into socioeconomic levels and randomly selects households from each level. What sampling technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

Stratified sampling

Question 10

Which of the following best describes an observational study?

Accepted Answer

Researchers observe and measure characteristics without influencing the subjects.

Question 11

A company tests a new gum to help people quit smoking by giving it to five subjects and a placebo to five others. What is a major flaw in this experimental design?

Accepted Answer

The sample size is too small for valid conclusions.

Question 12

Which sampling technique involves selecting every k-th member of a population after choosing a random starting point?

Accepted Answer

Systematic sampling

Question 13

In an experiment, subjects are paired according to similarity, and one subject in each pair is randomly assigned to a treatment. What is this design called?

Accepted Answer

Matched-pairs design

Question 14

Which of the following is a potential source of bias in a survey?

Accepted Answer

Wording questions to lead respondents to a particular answer

Question 15

A coffee shop owner remodels her shop at the same time a nearby mall opens. Business increases, but it is unclear which event caused the change. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

Confounding variable

Question 16

Which of the following is true about the interval level of measurement?

Accepted Answer

It allows for meaningful differences between data values, but zero does not mean 'none'.

Question 17

A researcher selects all households from two randomly chosen zip codes in a city. What sampling technique is this?

Accepted Answer

Cluster sampling

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a key element of a well-designed experiment?

Accepted Answer

Convenience

Question 19

What is the main purpose of blinding in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

To minimize the placebo effect by preventing subjects from knowing if they receive treatment or placebo

Question 20

Which formula represents the probability of selecting a simple random sample of size $$n$$ from a population of size $$N$$?

Accepted Answer

$$P = \frac{1}{\binom{N}{n}}$$

Introduction to Elementary Statistics: Chapter 1 Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards