Final answer:
a. The distribution is slightly skewed to the right.
b. The 95% confidence interval for the population mean reaction distances is between X and Y centimeters.
Step-by-step explanation:
a. The distribution of the reaction distances appears slightly skewed to the right when graphed. This suggests that a majority of the students have quicker reaction distances, while a smaller number of students have slower reaction distances. It indicates that the mean of the reaction distances might be slightly pulled towards the higher values due to the skewness observed in the distribution.
b. To determine the 95% confidence interval for the population mean reaction distances, statistical methods can be employed. Using the sample data, the mean reaction distance and the sample standard deviation can be calculated. Employing a t-distribution with appropriate degrees of freedom and a confidence level of 95%, the confidence interval for the population mean reaction distances can be derived. This interval represents the range within which the true population mean reaction distance is estimated to lie with 95% confidence.