Question

Charles wants to find out if the students in foreign language classes spend more time in class speaking in English or in the foreign language they are studying. Charles first gets class lists of all students taking foreign language classes. He then chooses 10 students from each different language class to survey. Which best explains why the sample he chose may not be a representative sample?

Answer 1

The sample Charles chose may not be representative due to sampling bias, small sample size, and the possibility of sampling error.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sample Charles chose may not be a representative sample because of several reasons:

1. Sampling Bias: By choosing only 10 students from each different language class, Charles may inadvertently exclude certain types of students or include a specific group of students that may not accurately represent the entire population of foreign language students. For example, if he chooses 10 students who are exceptionally motivated or proficient in the foreign language, the survey results may not accurately reflect the overall proficiency level of all foreign language students.
2. Small Sample Size: With only 10 students from each class, the sample size is relatively small. This may not provide a comprehensive and accurate representation of all foreign language students in terms of the time they spend speaking in English or in the foreign language they are studying.
3. Sampling Error: There is a possibility of sampling error, where the characteristics of the chosen students may differ significantly from the characteristics of the entire population. This can lead to skewed results that do not accurately represent the entire population of foreign language students.

Answer 2

The samples he chose may not be a representative sample because the number of students per foreign language class may not be the same. One class may have a very large number of students while another may have only a few. Taking equal number of students per class is not a representative sample.