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Micha and Rana each selected a random sample of students at their school and asked how many soft drink servings each student had consumed the previous week. Micha estimated that the mean number of soft drink servings was 7.1, with an associated margin of error of 1.2. Rana estimated that the mean number of soft drink servings was 8.3, with an associated margin of error of 0.8. Assuming the margins of error were calculated in the same way, which of the following best explains why Rana obtained a smaller margin of error than Micha?

User Mtwallet
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Final answer:

Rana obtained a smaller margin of error than Micha likely due to the larger sample size.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason Rana obtained a smaller margin of error than Micha is likely due to the sample size. When calculating the margin of error, a larger sample size tends to result in a smaller margin of error. Since Rana's sample had a smaller margin of error, it suggests that she had a larger sample size compared to Micha.

User Matthew Butterick
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