Question

Educators in Michigan have been trying to raising math achievement scores for several years without success. Results from the state assessment test given in fourth grade show that 52% of all fourth graders cannot subtract when borrowing from zero (regrouping with zero in the subtrahend). Two new techniques for teaching this concept have been developed by teachers who belong to the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics. It is decided that each technique be used in randomly selected classrooms throughout the state. Sixty third-grade classrooms are selected to try each of the techniques. Results from the state assessment test will then be monitored for each of the next two years to see whether either of the two techniques will be effective in teaching subtraction from zero. Sixty-three percent of the students who were taught with first technique passed the objective. Only 32% of students who were taught with the second technique passed the objective.

1. The population is:______.
A. All fourth graders in Michigan.
B. All third graders in Michigan.
C. The students who were in the 60 third-grade classrooms that used each technique.
D. All students in fourth grade who were taught with one of the techniques.
2. The sample is:______.
A. All fourth graders in Michigan.
B. All third graders in Michigan.
C. The students who were in the 60 third-grade classrooms that used each technique.
D. All students in fourth grade who were taught with one of the techniques.
3. An example of a parameter in the study is:______.
A. 63% of the students taught using technique 1 achieved the objective of subtracting from zero.
B. 32% of the students taught using technique 2 passed the state objective test.
C. 52% of all fourth graders in Michigan cannot subtract from zero.
D. 52% of all fourth graders in Michigan cannot pass the fourth-grade mathematics state assessment test.
4. An example of a statistic in the study is:_______.
a. 63% of the students taught using technique 1 achieved the objective of subtracting from zero.
b. 32% of the students taught using technique 2 passed the state objective test.
c. 52% of all fourth graders in Michigan cannot subtract from zero.
d. both a & b.
e. all of the above.
5. The dependent variable is the:______.
A. Results from the fourth-grade state assessment test in mathematics state assessment.
B. Instruction in math in third grade.
C. Two new techniques for teaching subtraction from zero.
D. Percentage of children who passed the objective subtraction from zero.
6. The independent variable is the:______.
A. Results from the fourth-grade state assessment test in mathematics state assessment.
B. Instruction in math in third grade.
C. Two new techniques for teaching subtraction from zero.
D. Percentage of children who passed the objective subtraction from zero.

Answer 1

1. A. All fourth graders in Michigan.

2. C. The students who were in the 60 third-grade classrooms that used each technique.

3. C. 52% of all fourth graders in Michigan cannot subtract from zero.

4. d. both a & b.

5. D. Percentage of children who passed the objective subtraction from zero.

6. C. Two new techniques for teaching subtraction from zero.

Explanation:

1. We can make this conclusion since an assessment test often comes after students undergo the required lessons (that is using taught the new techniques, so when they entered the fourth grade the assessment would be taken to determine their performance. Hence, the population of the study is the entire fourth-graders in Michigan.

2. The sample includes only students who made up the "60 third-grade classrooms that used each technique". In other words, they were the subject of the study.

3. Remember, a parameter often refers to numbers that summarize the entire data of a particular population. So we could say, that 52% of all fourth graders in Michigan that cannot subtract from zero make up the parameter.

4. A statistic is usually any resulting values gotten from a sample. Hence, both statements a and b are statistics from the sample.

5. Remember, the dependent variable is a variable that can be influenced by another variable; the independent variable. In other words, the percentage of children who passed the objective subtraction from zero could be affected by the independent variable.

6. The independent variable is the variable that could influence the dependent variable. In other words, the two new techniques for teaching subtraction from zero could influence "the percentage of children who passed the objective subtraction from zero."