Bias

Four hundred licensed drivers participated in the math club's survey on driving habits. The table below shows the number of drivers surveyed in each age group. Which statement best describes a conclusion based on the data in the table?

• It may be biased because no one younger than 16 was surveyed.

• It would be fair because many different age groups were surveyed.

• It would be fair because the survey was conducted by math club students.

• It may be biased because the majority of drivers surveyed were in the younger age intervals.

Tags

CCSS.7.SP.A.1

CCSS.HSS.IC.A.1

High school officials wanted to assess the need for a new diving board. They created a survey and distributed it to a large, diverse crowd at the State Swim Meet held at their school. Which characteristic of the survey is most likely to create a bias?

• the number of participants

• the height of the participants

• the way the set of data from the survey was analyzed

• the way the participants were selected to take the survey

Tags

CCSS.HSS.IC.B.3

A survey completed at a large university asked 2,000 students to estimate the average number of hours they spend studying each week. Every tenth student entering the library was surveyed. The data showed that the mean number of hours that students spend studying was 15.7 per week. Which characteristic of the survey could create a bias in the results?

• the size of the sample

• the size of the population

• the method of analyzing the data

• the method of choosing the students who were surveyed

Tags

CCSS.7.SP.A.1

CCSS.HSS.IC.A.1

A survey is to be conducted in a small upstate village to determine whether or not local residents should fund construction of a skateboard park by raising taxes. Which segment of the population would provide the most unbiased responses?

• a club of local skateboard enthusiasts

• senior citizens living on fixed incomes

• a group opposed to any increase in taxes

• every tenth person 18 years of age or older walking down Main St.

A principal is concerned about the decline in the number of students who purchase food from the cafeteria. A survey was developed to assist the principal. The most appropriate method would be for the principal to randomly select 100 students from

• the junior class

• the student directory

• the Algebra 2/Trigonometry classes

• the students who are eating during fourth period lunch in the cafeteria

A school wants to add a coed soccer program. To determine student interest in the program, a survey will be taken. In order to get an unbiased sample, which group should the school survey?

• every third student entering the building

• every member of the varsity football team

• every member in Ms. Zimmer’s drama classes

• every student having a second-period French class

Erica is conducting a survey about the proposed increase in the sports budget in the Hometown School District. Which survey method would likely contain the most bias?

• Erica asks every third person entering the Hometown Grocery Store.

• Erica asks every third person leaving the Hometown Shopping Mall this weekend.

• Erica asks every fifth student entering Hometown High School on Monday morning.

• Erica asks every fifth person leaving Saturday’s Hometown High School football game.

A survey is being conducted to determine which school board candidate would best serve the Yonkers community. Which group, when randomly surveyed, would likely produce the most bias?

• 15 employees of the Yonkers school district

• 25 people driving past Yonkers High School

• 75 people who enter a Yonkers grocery store

• 100 people who visit the local Yonkers shopping mall

Tags

CCSS.7.SP.A.1

CCSS.HSS.IC.A.1

A survey is being conducted to determine if a cable company should add another sports channel to their schedule. Which random survey would be the least biased?

• surveying 30 men at a gym

• surveying 45 people at a mall

• surveying 50 fans at a football game

• surveying 20 members of a high school soccer team

Tags

CCSS.7.SP.A.1

CCSS.HSS.IC.A.1

A school newspaper will survey students about the quality of the school’s lunch program. Which method will create the least biased results?

• Twenty-five vegetarians are randomly surveyed.

• Twenty-five students are randomly chosen from each grade level.

• Students who dislike the school’s lunch program are chosen to complete the survey.

• A booth is set up in the cafeteria for the students to voluntarily complete the survey.