Understanding and Interpreting the Margin of Error

This video tutorial explains the concept of margin of error, its calculation, and interpretation. It covers the properties of normal distribution and provides examples involving means and proportions. The lesson emphasizes understanding the margin of error's role in estimating population parameters and interpreting statistical data.

What does the margin of error indicate in the context of an election poll?

• The exact percentage of votes a candidate will receive

• The range within which the true vote percentage is likely to fall

• The number of votes a candidate needs to win

• The percentage of undecided voters

Which of the following is a property of the normal distribution?

• It is a skewed curve

• Approximately 68% of data falls within one standard deviation of the mean

• It is only applicable to small sample sizes

• It has a mean of zero

How is the margin of error calculated when no prior knowledge of the true proportion is available?

• 2 times the standard deviation

• The average of all sample values

• The difference between the highest and lowest values

• 1 divided by the square root of n

What does a margin of error of 3% mean in a survey reporting 58% of adults use cell phones during meetings?

• The margin of error is irrelevant

• The survey is 100% accurate

• The true percentage is between 55% and 61%

• The true percentage is exactly 58%

In the context of a community action report, what does a margin of error of 6 tickets suggest?

• The exact number of tickets issued is 25

• The number of tickets issued is always more than 31

• The number of tickets issued ranges from 19 to 31

• The number of tickets issued is less than 19

How do you determine the margin of error from a given range of percentages?

• Multiply the lower percentage by 2

• Divide the higher percentage by the lower percentage

• Add the lower and higher percentages

• Subtract the lower percentage from the higher percentage and divide by 2

What is the margin of error if a psychologist reports therapy sessions range from 15 to 19 hours?

• 1 hour

• 4 hours

• 2 hours

• 3 hours