Identifying Sample or Population

Before a nationwide election, a polling company is trying to predict who will win. Which choice is the best representation of a statistic they may obtain?

• A selection of voters over age 50.

• All voters.

• The percentage of voters in favor of the candidate.

• 53% of a selection of voters support the candidate.

Which choice best represents a statistic they may obtain?

• The percentage of all townspeople who believe the mayor is doing a good job.

• The percentage of townspeople surveyed who believe the mayor is doing a good job.

• All townspeople.

• A random selection of 100 townspeople.

A school principal wants to see which subject the 845 students in the school liked best.

Which choice best represents the parameter of interest?

• 700 of the 845 students prefer math.

• 100 of the 120 students surveyed prefer math.

• 845 students

• 120 students surveyed

A musician wanted to see what people who bought their last album thought about the songs. Which choice is the most representative sample they could take?

• Every person who bought the album.

• A selection of people who didn't want to buy the album.

• 250 girls who bought the album

• A random selection of 3,294 people who bought the album.

In a survey, 1600 randomly selected U.S. adults are asked whether they have purchased a product online. The results are shown in the circle graph. Identify the Population and Sample

• All U.S. Adults

• The 1600 U.S. adults surveyed

• The 81% of U.S. adults

• The 19% of U.S. adults

A computer manufacturer surveys every tenth customer who purchases a laptop computer to figure out what software the company should include with its computer. Identify the population and sample.

• Population: Customers

  Sample: Every tenth customer

• Population: Customers

  Sample: The customers that chose the most popular software

• Population: Every tenth customer

  Sample: The customers that chose the most popular software

• Population: Every tenth customer

  Sample: Customers

A librarian at a school wanted to find out what genre of books students liked most. Which choice best represents a sample?

• Every 10th student who walks through the front door of the school

• All the teachers at the school

• All the students at the school

• Students who don't like to read

A beverage company wanted to see if people in the United

States liked their new logo. Which choice best represents a population?

• A selection of logo artists

• 3,800 children age 5-15

• Every person in the United States

• A selection of shoppers from different states

Identify the population and sample for each example.

• Population: Students

  Sample: Members of the football team

• Population: Members of the football team

  Sample: Students

• Population: Students

  Sample: Students that have had a broken bone

• Population: Members of the football team

  Sample: Members of the football team that have broken a bone.

A musician wanted to see what people who bought his last album thought about the songs. Which choice best represents a sample?

• A selection of people who didn't want to buy the album

• 250 girls who bought the album

• A selection of 3,294 people who bought the album

• Every person who bought the album