Final answer:
The quality control manager at IBM uses systematic sampling by selecting every 12th computer to form a sample of 90 computers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sampling method used in the scenario where the quality control manager at IBM selects every 12th computer off the assembly line starting with the second until she obtains a sample of 90 computers is known as systematic sampling. This approach involves a procedural method where the starting point is chosen randomly and subsequently, every kth element is selected until the desired sample size is reached. Systematic sampling can provide a representative sample, but it's important to make sure that the period of selection (every 12th item, in this case) doesn't coincide with a pattern in the population that could bias the results.
In systematic sampling, the researcher selects every nth item from the population. In this case, the quality control manager at IBM selects every 12th computer that comes off the assembly line until she obtains a sample of 90 computers. By selecting every 12th computer, she is following a systematic pattern of selection.