Final answer:
When 100 students are polled and only 70 pick a favorite candidate, the remaining 30 may be undecided, not wish to disclose their preference, or did not participate fully, reflecting possible issues like social pressure or nonresponse.
Step-by-step explanation:
If 100 students were polled and only 70 picked a favorite candidate, the reasons behind the remaining 30 not picking a candidate could be varied. These students might either be undecided, unwilling to disclose their preference due to social pressure or privacy concerns, or they may simply have chosen not to participate fully in the poll. It's important to consider factors such as the Bradley effect, where respondents may not answer truthfully on sensitive topics due to perceived social norms. Additionally, not all students may be present or available to take the poll, leading to a degree of nonresponse.
Various examples in survey and poll contexts demonstrate how respondents' behavior can impact results. For instance, there are scenarios where a certain percentage of students are for or against legislation, like the example regarding school uniforms where 480 out of 600 were against. Or in a probability context, scenarios like students guessing on a quiz or the likelihood of completing homework can be calculated and are related to understanding poll outcomes.
When examining statistical data, it's essential to assess the reliability of the results and consider the possibility of nonresponse or noncommittal answers. The example where a political science student surveys registration status illustrates the need to create a confidence interval to understand the accuracy of polling data.