Question

1. An AP Statistics class starts a project to estimate the average number of hours a student at their high school sleeps per night. Their high school has 1200 students, and they take a sample of the first 120 students that arrive at school on a particular day. They ask each of the 120 students how many hours of sleep they got the night before and then calculate an average. Which of the following statements is an accurate description of the elements of this survey?

a. Population: the 120 students surveyed. Parameter of interest: the average number of hours a student at this high school sleeps per night.
b. Sample: the 1200 students of the school. Population: all high school students in the United States. Statistic: the average number of hours a student at this high school sleeps per night
c. Sample: the 120 students surveyed. Population: the 1200 students at the high school. Parameter of interest: the average number of hours a student at this high school sleeps per night.
d. Sample: the 120 students surveyed. Population: the 1200 students at the high school. Statistic: The average number of hours a student at this high school sleeps per night.
e. This is not a survey because a convenience sample was used.

Answer 1

Option E

Explanation:

This survey will not be reliable as it is chosen for convenience; the first 120 students to arrive in school on a particular morning and this collection of individuals may not be a representative of the population. The study may become biased because it does not take into account the latecomers among the students which might have been changed the study from systematically favoring certain outcomes.