Final answer:
The general method used most frequently to estimate deviation rates is discovery sampling, especially for testing qualitative characteristics in a population like errors or fraud. Option 1 is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most frequently used general method that arrives at an estimated deviation rate is discovery sampling. This method is employed when one needs to test for the presence or absence of certain characteristics, such as errors or fraud, in a population. It is used in cases where even a single instance of the characteristic can be significant. Discovery sampling does not provide a direct estimate of the deviation rate but rather seeks to identify whether deviations exist at all.
In situations involving qualitative data or categorical data like 'Yes or No', 'Success or Failure', we deal with population proportions. The statistical technique for estimating the true population proportion entails creating a confidence interval using procedures similar to those used for population means. The sample proportion distribution, denoted P', follows a normal distribution with a mean value p and standard deviation, where p is the true population proportion and q is 1 minus p, all over the sample size n.