Question

All the dentists in the greater Toronto area are asked if they would recommend a new toothpaste designed to whiten teeth, so the manufacturer can indicate the percent of dentists who recommend the product on the box. What is the population? And what is the sample?

A) Population: All dentists in the greater Toronto area; Sample: Dentists who recommend the toothpaste
B) Population: Dentists who recommend the toothpaste; Sample: All dentists in the greater Toronto area
C) Population: All dentists in the greater Toronto area; Sample: All dentists in the greater Toronto area
D) Population: Dentists who recommend the toothpaste; Sample: Dentists who do not recommend the toothpaste

Answer 1

The population is all dentists in the greater Toronto area, while the sample is the dentists from this population who were actually surveyed. If all dentists in the area were asked, the sample matches the population. Thus, the option A is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When evaluating the situation described, the population refers to the entire group that is the focus of a study or survey. In this case, the population is All dentists in the greater Toronto area because they are the group from whom information is sought regarding their recommendation of the new toothpaste. On the other hand, the sample would be a smaller, manageable selection from this population that the survey actually reaches to represent the views of the entire population.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:

• Population: All dentists in the greater Toronto area
• Sample: The dentists who were actually asked and provided a response on whether they would recommend the toothpaste.

If all dentists in the greater Toronto area were asked for their recommendation, then the sample would be the same as the population. Hence, the sample is not just the dentists who recommend the toothpaste but all those who were surveyed.