Chapter 23: Problem 46
Let \(x_{1}, x 2, \ldots, x_{n}\) be \(n\) observations such that \(\sum x_{i}^{2}=400\) and \(\sum x_{i}=80 .\) Then a possible value of \(n\) among the following is [2005] (A) 15 (B) 18 (C) 9 (D) 12
Short Answer
Expert verified
The possible value of \( n \) is 18.
Step by step solution
01
Understanding the Given Equations
We are given two equations involving the observations: \( \sum x_i^2 = 400 \) and \( \sum x_i = 80 \). Our task is to find a possible value of \( n \) such that these conditions are satisfied.
02
Using the Formula for Variance
Recall the formula for the variance of a set of numbers: \( \sigma^2 = \frac{1}{n}\sum x_i^2 - \left(\frac{1}{n}\sum x_i\right)^2 \). Substitute the given sums into this formula.
03
Simplifying the Variance Formula
Plug the given values into the variance formula: \( \sigma^2 = \frac{1}{n}(400) - \left(\frac{1}{n}(80)\right)^2 \) which simplifies to: \( \sigma^2 = \frac{400}{n} - \frac{6400}{n^2} \).
04
Checking Positive Variance
The variance must be non-negative, so \( \frac{400}{n} - \frac{6400}{n^2} \geq 0 \). This simplifies to \( 400n \geq 6400 \) leading to \( n \geq 16 \).
05
Finding the Valid Option
From the choices given, the only option that satisfies \( n \geq 16 \) is (B) 18. Thus, 18 is the valid option.
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Sum of Squares
The sum of squares is a fundamental concept in statistics that is used to measure the total variation in a data set. It is always a non-negative value, indicating the squared differences from the mean or the individual data points. In the context of this exercise, the sum of squares \( \sum x_i^2 = 400 \). This value is calculated by squaring each observation and then adding them all together. Consider it like this:
- Each observation \( x_i \) is squared: \( x_i^2 \).
- The squared values are summed up: \( \sum x_i^2 \).
Sum of Observations
The sum of observations refers to the total of all individual data points in a sample or a population. In our problem, this is given as \( \sum x_i = 80 \). Here's what this means:
- Each observation \( x_i \) directly contributes to the total.
- The sum is simply the addition of each data point.
Variance Formula
The variance formula is used to find the variance \( \sigma^2 \) of a set of observations. It gives an idea of how the data is spread out or how much it varies. For a dataset, the formula is given by:\[ \sigma^2 = \frac{1}{n}\sum x_i^2 - \left(\frac{1}{n}\sum x_i\right)^2 \]Breaking it down:
- \( \frac{1}{n}\sum x_i^2 \) is the average of the squares of the observations.
- \( \left(\frac{1}{n}\sum x_i\right)^2 \) is the square of the average of the observations.
- Subtracting these gives a measure of the spread of the data.
Non-negative Variance
Variance is always non-negative because it is calculated based on squared terms, which are inherently non-negative. In the exercise above, ensuring that the expression remains non-negative helps confirm that the number of observations \( n \) is valid.For our variance equation:\[ \frac{400}{n} - \frac{6400}{n^2} \geq 0 \]This inequality safeguards that the variance is not less than zero. It can also be interpreted as follows:
- A non-negative variance indicates that the data points do not deviate from each other by a negative amount.
- It ensures logical consistency within statistical analysis.