Tutorial 5
5.1. A population has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 35. A sample of size 200
will be taken and the sample mean x will be used to estimate the population mean.
a. What is the expected value of 𝑥̅ ?
b. What is the standard deviation of 𝑥̅ ?
c. Show the sampling distribution of 𝑥̅ .
d. What does the sampling distribution of 𝑥̅ show?
5.2. A sample of n = 100 observations is drawn from a normal population, with µ = 1000
and σ = 200. Find:
a. P(𝑋 > 1050).
b. P(𝑋 < 960).
c. P(𝑋 > 1100).
5.3. In May 2018, The College Board reported the following mean scores for two parts of
the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT):
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 533
Mathematics 527
Assume that the population standard deviation on each part of the test is = 100.
a. What is the probability a sample of 90 test takers will provide a sample mean test score
within 10 points of the population mean of 533 on the Evidence-Based Reading and
Writing part of the test?
b. What is the probability a sample of 90 test takers will provide a sample mean test score
within 10 points of the population mean of 527 on the Mathematics part of the test?
c. Comment on the differences between the values computed in parts (a) and (b).
5.4. The amount of time that university lecturers devote to their jobs per week is normally
distributed, with a mean of 52 hours and a standard deviation of 6 hours.
a What is the probability that a lecturer works for more than 60 hours per week?
b Find the probability that the mean amount of work per week for three randomly selected
lecturers is more than 60 hours.
c. Find the probability that if three lecturers are randomly selected, all three work for more
than 60 hours per week.
5.5. The CPA Practice Advisor reports that the mean preparation fee for 2017 federal
income tax returns was $273. Use this price as the population mean and assume the
population standard deviation of preparation fees is $100.
a. What is the probability that the mean price for a sample of 30 federal income tax returns
is within $16 of the population mean?
b. What is the probability that the mean price for a sample of 50 federal income tax returns
is within $16 of the population mean?
c. What is the probability that the mean price for a sample of 100 federal income tax returns
is within $16 of the population mean?
d. Which, if any, of the sample sizes in parts (a), (b), and (c) would you recommend to
ensure at least a .95 probability that the sample mean is within $16 of the population mean?
5.6. The Economic Policy Institute periodically issues reports on worker’s wages. The
institute reported that mean wages for male college graduates were $37.39 per hour and for
female college graduates were $27.83 per hour in 2017. Assume the standard deviation for
male graduates is $4.60, and for female graduates it is $4.10.
a. What is the probability that a sample of 50 male graduates will provide a sample mean
within $1.00 of the population mean, $37.39?
b. What is the probability that a sample of 50 female graduates will provide a sample mean
within $1.00 of the population mean, $27.83?
c. In which of the preceding two cases, part (a) or part (b), do we have a higher probability
of obtaining a sample estimate within $1.00 of the population mean? Why?
d. What is the probability that a sample of 120 female graduates will provide a sample
mean more than $.60 below the population mean, 27.83?
5.7. The manager of a restaurant has determined that the proportion of customers who drink
tea is 14%. What is the probability that of the next 100 customers at least 10% will be tea
drinkers?
5.8. The Wall Street Journal reported that the age at first startup for 55% of entrepreneurs
was 29 years of age or less and the age at first startup for 45% of entrepreneurs was 30
years of age or more.
a. Suppose a sample of 200 entrepreneurs will be taken to learn about the most important
qualities of entrepreneurs. Show the sampling distribution of p where p is the sample
proportion of entrepreneurs whose first startup was at 29 years of age or less.
b. What is the probability that the sample proportion in part (a) will be within ±.05 of its
population proportion?
c. Suppose a sample of 200 entrepreneurs will be taken to learn about the most important
qualities of entrepreneurs. Show the sampling distribution of p where p is now the sample
proportion of entrepreneurs whose first startup was at 30 years of age or more.
d. What is the probability that the sample proportion in part (c) will be within ±.05 of its
population proportion?
e. Is the probability different in parts (b) and (d)? Why?
f. Answer part (b) for a sample of size 400. Is the probability smaller? Why?
5.9. The Food Marketing Institute shows that 17% of households spend more than $100
per week on groceries. Assume the population proportion is p = .17 and a sample of 800
households will be selected from the population.
a. Show the sampling distribution of 𝑝̅, the sample proportion of households spending more
than $100 per week on groceries.
b. What is the probability that the sample proportion will be within ±.02 of the population
proportion?
c. Answer part (b) for a sample of 1600 households.
5.10. The manufacturer of aspirin claims that the proportion of headache sufferers who
obtain relief from two aspirin is 53%.
a. What is the probability that in a random sample of 400 headache sufferers fewer than
50% obtain relief? If 50% of the sample actually obtained relief, what does this suggest
about the manufacturer’s claim?
b. Repeat part (a) using a sample of 1000 headache sufferers.