The city council wants to determine how does the income level affect the crime rate.
You have to determine which statistical method is best to do so, let's analyze the given options.
- Continuous probability distribution: this is a probability distribution for a random variable X that can take any number. It will give you an idea of the shape of the distribution in the case that you are studying a continuous variable but you won't know if the variable in study is being affected by another variable or variables.
Besides, the given variables "per capita income" and "crime rate" are discrete variables, so this statistical method does not apply for the given situation.
- Regression analysis: this analysis is a statistical method that allows you to analyse the relationship between a dependent variable (or response variable) and one or more independent variables (predictor variables)
This statistical method applies for the given situation.
-Confidence interval: The confidence interval is a way to estimate the range of values of a population parameter of a population of interest.
This statistical method does not apply.
-Hypothesis test: This method allows you to determine whether or not there is enough statistical evidence to assess the plaussability of a statistical hypothesis for a population of interest. This is, if the information of a sample taken allows you to draw conclusions regarding a population of interest.
This statistical method may apply but is not the best one to use.
The most appropiate method to apply to determine if the per capita income is a predictor of the crime rate is the regression analysis.