Question

A dance student wants to know the favorite type of dance class for students at The Dance Academy. She surveys each student in her ballet class. In which way could the results of her survey be most improved?

A. She could sample an equal number of students in each type of dance class
B. She could sample a proportional number of students in each type of dance class
C. She could sample one student in each type of dance class
D. She could sample one teacher from each type of dance class

Answer 1

B

Step-by-step explanation:

This is because she only surveyed ballet students who may be biased towards ballet. If she took a proportional number of students from each class then she would know an average of the most popular dance class.

Answer 2

The correct answer to this question would be alternative B) "She could sample a proportional number of students in each type of dance class."

In order to make the results relevant, she needs to keep proportions.

A class with 10 students in which 8 love ballet, it represents 80% of the class, which indicates a clear preference. However, if we access 8 students in a 30 student group, their preference is "irrelevant."

She needs to access, for example, 60% of each group, to make sure the results are relevant. For example: 18 out of 30 students in group A, 15 out of 25 students in group B and 6 out of 10 students in group C.

That's why the best way to figure out a favorite type of dance class would be to survey a proportional number of students in each type of dance class.