Statistical Literacy

Studies show that as women grow older they tend to have lower bone density. Which of the following graphs illustrates this point? 

• Graph A

• Graph B

• Graph C

A sportswriter wants to know the extent to which football fans in a large city support building a new football stadium. She stands outside the current football stadium before a game and interviews the first 250 people who enter the stadium. The newspaper reports the results from the sample as an estimate of the percentage of football fans in the city who support building a new stadium. Which statement is correct in terms of the sampling method? 

• This is a simple random sample. It will give an accurate estimate. 

• Because the sample is so small, it will not give an accurate estimate. 

• Because all fans had a chance to be asked, it will give an accurate estimate. 

• The sampling method is biased. It will not give an accurate estimate.

Here is some information about musicians in a flute concert. Which of the following situations is more probable? 

• A flutist who plays classical music 

• A musician who plays classical music and who is not a flutist 

• A flutist who does not perform classical music 

• Someone who is neither a classical musician nor a flutist

The following message is printed on a bottle of prescription medication: 

WARNING: For application to skin areas there is a 15% chance of developing a rash. If a rash develops, consult your physician. 

Which of the following is the best interpretation of this warning?

• Do not use the medication on your skin, there is a good chance of developing a rash 

• For application to the skin, apply 15% of the recommended dose

• About 15 of 100 people who use this medication develop a rash

• If a rash develops it will probably involve only 15% of the skin 

A manufacturer of frozen pizzas produces sausage pizzas, which are intended to have an average weight of 400 grams. To check the quality of the manufacturing process, random samples of 25 pizzas are taken daily and the average weight of the pizza’s in the sample is recorded. Assuming that nothing is wrong with the manufacturing process, which of the following graphs is the most plausible for the average weight in each of the 20 samples? 

• Graph A

• Graph B

• Graph C

• Graph D