Question

A utility company was interested in knowing if agricultural customers would use less electricity during peak hours if their rates were different during those hours. (Agricultural energy use is substantial, for things like irrigation, lighting, wind turbines to reduce frost damage, and so on.) Customers who volunteered for the study were randomly assigned to continue to get standard rates or to receive the time-of-day rate structure. Special meters were attached that recorded usage during peak and off-peak hours, which the customers could read. The technician who read the meter did not know what rate structure each customer had.

a. What was the explanatory variable in this experiment?
b. What was the response variable in this experiment?
c. Was this experiment single-blind, doubleblind, or neither? Explain.
d. Did this experiment use matched pairs, blocks, or neither? Explain.

Answer 1

A) Status of Rate structure

B) Rate of usage of Electricity

C) Double blind

D) Neither

Explanation:

A) The Explanatory variable is the Status of Rate structure during peak hours

B) The response Variable

The response variable in this experiment is the rate of usage of Electricity

( i.e. via meter readings )

C) The experiment can be considered a double -blind because the participants do not know the group they are assigned to ( either standard rate or time-of-day rate structure) but can only read their meters while the technician does not know what rate structure the participants where assigned to or what meter was assigned to each group

D) The experiment Did not use matched blocks or matched pairs