Chapter 9: Problem 8
Construct the appropriate confidence interval. A simple random sample of size \(n=17\) is drawn from a population that is normally distributed. The sample mean is found to be \(\bar{x}=3.25,\) and the sample standard deviation is found to be \(s=1.17\). Construct a \(95 \%\) confidence interval for the population mean.
Short Answer
Step by step solution
- Identify the Given Information
- Determine the Critical Value
- Calculate the Standard Error
- Compute the Margin of Error
- Construct the Confidence Interval
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.
t-distribution
margin of error
\[ ME = t^* \times SE \]
t* is the critical value from the t-distribution, and SE is the standard error. This ME gives us a range centered around our sample mean, accounting for the inherent variability and ensuring our confidence interval is reliable.
standard error
\[ SE = \frac{s}{\sqrt{n}} \]
where s is the sample standard deviation, and n is the sample size. In this exercise, our sample size (n) is 17, and the sample standard deviation (s) is 1.17. Substituting these values gives us the SE as approximately 0.284. A smaller SE indicates that the sample mean is more representative of the population mean.
sample mean
degree of freedom
\[ df = n - 1 \]
In this exercise, with a sample size of 17, the degrees of freedom are 16. Degrees of freedom are crucial when using the t-distribution, as it affects the shape of the distribution. With more degrees of freedom, the t-distribution approaches the normal distribution. For fewer degrees of freedom, the t-distribution is wider, which means it provides more conservative estimates to account for the increased variability in smaller samples.