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91Ó°ÊÓ

Scores on the Evidence-Based Reading part of the SAT exam in a recent year were roughly Normal with mean 536 and standard deviation 102. You choose an SRS of 100 students and average their SAT Evidence-Based Reading scores. If you do this many times, the mean of the average scores you get will be close to a. \(536 .\) b. \(536 / 100=5.36\). c. \(536 / \sqrt{100}=53.6\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The mean of the average scores is 536.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Problem

The problem asks us to determine the mean of the average scores obtained from a sample of 100 students taken many times from a normally distributed population with a given mean and standard deviation. This relates to the distribution of the sample mean.
02

Recall the Central Limit Theorem

The Central Limit Theorem tells us that the distribution of the sample mean will be normally distributed with the mean equal to the population mean, regardless of the sample size. This implies that the mean of the sample means is the same as the population mean.
03

Identify the Correct Mean

Since the population mean of the SAT Evidence-Based Reading scores is given as 536, and according to the Central Limit Theorem, the mean of the sample means would also be 536 regardless of the sample size of 100 students.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Normal Distribution
A normal distribution, often referred to as a "bell curve" due to its distinct shape, is a fundamental concept in statistics. This distribution is symmetric around its mean, meaning that it has equal tails on both sides. Normal distributions are defined by two key parameters: the mean and the standard deviation. For many natural and standardized processes, such as SAT scores, the data tends to follow a normal distribution. This allows statisticians to make meaningful predictions and calculations.
  • The mean provides the center of the distribution.
  • The standard deviation shows the spread or variability of the scores.
Understanding normal distribution helps us interpret data and its probabilities. It's essential in predicting outcomes based on historical data.
Sample Mean
The sample mean is simply the average of a set of observations from a sample. In the context of the SAT scores problem, if we take several sets of 100 student scores, the sample mean would be the average score within each of these sets. The sample mean is used to estimate the population mean, especially useful when dealing with large data sets where it's impractical to collect every data point.
  • It is calculated by summing all sample data points and dividing by the number of points.
  • The sample mean is a random variable, which will vary depending on the different samples taken.
Notably, the Central Limit Theorem ensures that the distribution of these sample means approaches a normal distribution, making it a reliable approximation of the population mean.
Population Mean
The population mean is the average of all possible observations in a complete population. In our example, the given population mean for the SAT Evidence-Based Reading scores is 536. This is a fixed value representing the average of every student taking the exam that year.
  • It is a constant and doesn’t change unless the entire population is redefined or altered.
  • The mean serves as a key measure of central tendency, reflecting the center of a distribution.
When using sample means to estimate the population mean, it's crucial to understand that, according to the Central Limit Theorem, the average of these sample means will be approximately equal to the population mean.
Standard Deviation
Standard deviation is a measure of how much the values in a dataset deviate from the mean. It quantifies the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values. In the SAT score context, a standard deviation of 102 allows us to know how spread out the student scores typically are around the mean score of 536.
  • Standard deviation is symbolized as \( \sigma \) in a population and \( s \) in a sample.
  • A low standard deviation indicates that the scores are closely clustered around the mean, whereas a high standard deviation shows that the scores are more spread out.
This measure is crucial for understanding the reliability and stability of the mean. When sample means are involved, the standard deviation of the sample mean, known as the standard error, is calculated by dividing the population standard deviation by the square root of the sample size, making it valuable in estimating how much sample means vary.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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