Student Name: Nai Kelly
NHM 526: Statistics I in NHM
Problem Solving Assignment #4 – Chapter 4
Please answer the following questions:
1. Explain why the formulas for sample variance and population variance are different.
Population variance (σ²): Uses all data → exact value while Sample variance (s²): Uses
a subset which includes Bessel’s correction (divide by n−1).
This adjustment causes the sample variance to be an impartial estimation of the
population variance.
A population has a mean of μ = 80 and a standard deviation of σ = 20.
a. Would a score of X = 70 be considered an extreme value (out in the tail) in this
sample?
Given:
Mean (μ) = 80
(a) When σ = 20
70−80
Z= 20 =−0.5
The score is only 0.5 standard deviations below the mean
This is close to the center
Conclusion:
Not an extreme value
b. If the standard deviation were σ = 5, would a score of X = 70 be considered an
extreme value?
When σ = 5
70−80
Z= 5
= −2
The score is 2 standard deviations below the mean
This falls in the tail of the distribution
Conclusion:
Yes, it is an extreme value
2. On an exam with a mean of M = 78, you obtain a score of X = 84.
a. Would you prefer a standard deviation of s = 2 or s = 10? (Hint: Sketch each
distribution and find the location of your score.)
X = 84 (above mean 78)
With s = 2 → Z = (84−78)/2 = 3 (very high position)
With s = 10 → Z = 0.6 standard deviations above the mean
Prefer s = 2 (makes your score look much better)
b. If your score were X = 72, would you prefer s = 2 or s = 10? Explain your answer.
X = 72 (below mean)
With s = 2 → Z = −3 (very poor position)
With s = 10 → Z = −0.6
Prefer s = 10 (less negative impact)
3. A population has a mean of µ = 30 and a standard deviation of σ = 5.
a. If 5 points were added to every score in the population, what would be the new
values for the mean and standard deviation?
Given:
Mean (µ) = 30
Standard deviation (σ) = 5
a) Adding 5 to every score
Rule:
Adding a constant changes the mean
Standard deviation remains unchanged
Calculation:
New mean = 30 + 5 = 35
New standard deviation = 5
b. If every score in the population were multiplied by 3 what would be the new values
for the mean and standard deviation?
Rule:
Multiplying by a constant affects both mean and standard deviation
Calculation:
New mean = 30 × 3 = 90
New standard deviation = 5 × 3 = 15
4. A student was asked to compute the mean and standard deviation for the following sample
of n = 5 scores: 81, 87, 89, 86, and 87. To simplify the arithmetic, the student first subtracted
80 points from each score to obtain a new sample consisting of 1, 7, 9, 6, and 7. The mean
and standard deviation for the new sample were then calculated to be M = 6 and s = 3. What
are the values of the mean and standard deviation for the original sample?
Given:
Mean = 6
Standard deviation = 3
Step 1: Find original mean
Since 80 was subtracted earlier, we add 80 back:
Original Mean=6+80=86
Step 2: Find original standard deviation
Standard deviation is unchanged:
Original SD=3
5. The range is completely determined by the two extreme scores in a distribution. The
standard deviation, on the other hand, uses every score.
a. Compute the range (choose either definition) and the standard deviation for the
following sample of n = 5 scores. Note that there are three scores clustered around
the mean in the center of the distribution, and two extreme values.
Scores: 0, 6, 7, 8, 14.
Range
Range=14−0=14
Mean
0+6+ 7+8+14 35
M= = =7
5 5
SS (Sum of Squares)
(0−7)2=49, (6−7)2=1, (7−7)2=0, (8−7)2=1, (14−7)2=49
SS=49+1+0+1+ 49=100
Variance
2 100
s= =25
4
Standard Deviation
s= √ 25=5
b. Now we break up the cluster in the center of the distribution by moving two of the
central scores out to the extremes. Once again compute the range and the standard
deviation.
New scores: 0, 0, 7, 14, 14.
Range
Range=14−0=14
Mean
0+0+ 7+14+14 35
M= = =7
5 5
SS
SS=49+ 49+0+ 49+49=196
Variance
2 196
s= =49
4
Standard Deviation
s= √ 49=7
c. According to the range, how do the two distributions compare in variability? How
do they compare according to the standard deviation?
Range:
Both distributions = 14 → suggests same variability
Standard Deviation:
d. First = 5
e. Second = 7
The second distribution is more variable
Range fails to detect the difference
Standard deviation shows the true increase in spread
6. Calculate SS, variance, and standard deviation for the following sample of n = 5 scores: 9, 6,
2, 2, 6. (Note: The definitional formula works well with these scores.)
Step 1: Mean
9+6+ 2+2+6 25
M= = =5
5 5
Step 2: SS
(9−5)2=16, (6−5)2=1, (2−5)2=9, (2−5)2=9, (6−5)2=1
SS=16+1+9+9+ 1=36
Step 3: Variance
2 36
s= =9
4
Step 4: Standard Deviation
s= √ 9=3
7. In an extensive study involving thousands of British children, Arden and Plomin (2006)
found significantly higher variance in the intelligence scores for males than for females.
Following are hypothetical data, similar to the results obtained in the study. Note that the
scores are not regular IQ scores but have been standardized so that the entire sample has a
mean of M = 10 and a standard deviation of s = 2.
a. Calculate the mean and the standard deviation for the sample of n = 8 females and
for the sample of n = 8 males.
Means
Females:
Sum = 80
Mean = 80 / 8 = 10
Males:
Sum = 80
Mean = 80 / 8 = 10
Standard Deviations
Females:
SS = 18
Variance = 18 / 7 ≈ 2.57
SD ≈ 1.60
Males:
SS = 40
Variance = 40 / 7 ≈ 5.71
SD ≈ 2.39
b. Based on the means and the standard deviations, describe the differences in
intelligence scores for males and females.
The two groups are equal in mean, but the standard deviation of males is higher,
which implies that there is more variation in intelligence scores among males than
among females.
Female Male
9 8
11 10
10 11
13 12
8 6
9 10
11 14
9 9