1. Confidence Intervals for the Mean (Large Samples)
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2. Find a point estimate and a margin of error
Construct and interpret confidence intervals for the population mean
Determine the minimum sample size required when estimating μ
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3. Point Estimate for Population μ
A single value estimate for a population parameter
Most unbiased point estimate of the population mean μ is the sample mean
Estimate Population Parameter…
with Sample Statistic
Mean: μ
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4. Example: Point Estimate for Population μ
A social networking website allows its users to add friends, send messages, and update their personal profiles. The following represents a random sample of the number of friends for 40 users of the website. Find a point estimate of the population mean, µ. (Source: Facebook)
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5. Solution: Point Estimate for Population μ
The sample mean of the data is
Your point estimate for the mean number of friends for all users of the website is friends.
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6. Interval Estimate Interval estimate
An interval, or range of values, used to estimate a population parameter.
( )
Interval estimate
Right endpoint
Left endpoint
115
120
125
130
135
140
150
145
Point estimate
Point estimate
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
How confident do we want to be that the interval estimate contains the population mean μ?
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7. Level of Confidence Level of confidence c
The probability that the interval estimate contains the population parameter.
c is the area under the standard normal curve between the critical values. c z
z = 0
–zc zc
½(1 – c)
½(1 – c)
Use the Standard Normal Table to find the corresponding z-scores.
Critical values
The remaining area in the tails is 1 – c .
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8. Level of Confidence
If the level of confidence is 90%, this means that we are 90% confident that the interval contains the population mean μ. z
z = 0 zc
c = 0.90
½(1 – c) = 0.05
½(1 – c) = 0.05
zc
–zc = –1.645
zc = 1.645
The corresponding z-scores are ±1.645.
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9. Sampling Error Sampling error
The difference between the point estimate and the actual population parameter value.
For μ:
the sampling error is the difference – μ
μ is generally unknown
varies from sample to sample
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10. Margin of Error Margin of error
The greatest possible distance between the point estimate and the value of the parameter it is estimating for a given level of confidence, c.
Denoted by E.
Sometimes called the maximum error of estimate or error tolerance.
When n ≥ 30, the sample standard deviation, s, can be used for σ.
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11. Example: Finding the Margin of Error
Use the social networking website data and a 95% confidence level to find the margin of error for the mean number of friends for all users of the website. Assume the sample standard deviation is about 53.0.
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12. Solution: Finding the Margin of Error
First find the critical values z zc
z = 0
0.95
0.025
0.025
–zc = –1.96
zc
zc = 1.96
95% of the area under the standard normal curve falls within 1.96 standard deviations of the mean. (You can approximate the distribution of the sample means with a normal curve by the Central Limit Theorem, because n = 40 ≥ 30.)
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13. Solution: Finding the Margin of Error
You don’t know σ, but since n ≥ 30, you can use s in place of σ.
You are 95% confident that the margin of error for the population mean is about 16.4 friends.
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14. Confidence Intervals for the Population Mean
A c-confidence interval for the population mean μ
The probability that the confidence interval contains μ is c.
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15. Constructing Confidence Intervals for μ
Finding a Confidence Interval for a Population Mean (n ≥ 30 or σ known with a normally distributed population)
In Words In Symbols
Find the sample statistics n and .
Specify σ, if known. Otherwise, if n ≥ 30, find the sample standard deviation s and use it as an estimate for σ.
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16. Constructing Confidence Intervals for μ
In Words In Symbols
Find the critical value zc that corresponds to the given level of confidence.
Find the margin of error E.
Find the left and right endpoints and form the confidence interval.
Use the Standard Normal Table or technology.
Left endpoint:
Right endpoint: Interval:
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17. Example: Constructing a Confidence Interval
Construct a 95% confidence interval for the mean number of friends for all users of the website.
Solution: Recall and E ≈ 16.4
Left Endpoint:
Right Endpoint:
114.4 < μ < 147.2
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18. Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval
114.4 < μ < 147.2 •
With 95% confidence, you can say that the population mean number of friends is between and
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19. Example: Constructing a Confidence Interval σ Known
A college admissions director wishes to estimate the mean age of all students currently enrolled. In a random sample of 20 students, the mean age is found to be 22.9 years. From past studies, the standard deviation is known to be 1.5 years, and the population is normally distributed. Construct a 90% confidence interval of the population mean age.
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20. Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval σ Known
First find the critical values z
z = 0 zc
c = 0.90
½(1 – c) = 0.05
½(1 – c) = 0.05
–zc = –1.645
zc
zc = 1.645
zc = 1.645
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21. Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval σ Known
Margin of error:
Confidence interval:
Left Endpoint:
Right Endpoint:
22.3 < μ < 23.5
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22. Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval σ Known
22.3 < μ < 23.5
Point estimate
22.3
22.9
23.5
( ) •
With 90% confidence, you can say that the mean age of all the students is between 22.3 and 23.5 years.
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23. Interpreting the Results
μ is a fixed number. It is either in the confidence interval or not.
Incorrect: “There is a 90% probability that the actual mean is in the interval (22.3, 23.5).”
Correct: “If a large number of samples is collected and a confidence interval is created for each sample, approximately 90% of these intervals will contain μ.
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24. Interpreting the Results
The horizontal segments represent 90% confidence intervals for different samples of the same size.
In the long run, 9 of every 10 such intervals will contain μ. μ
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25. Sample Size
Given a c-confidence level and a margin of error E, the minimum sample size n needed to estimate the population mean µ is
If σ is unknown, you can estimate it using s, provided you have a preliminary sample with at least 30 members.
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26. Example: Sample Size
You want to estimate the mean number of friends for all users of the website. How many users must be included in the sample if you want to be 95% confident that the sample mean is within seven friends of the population mean? Assume the sample standard deviation is about 53.0.
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27. Solution: Sample Size First find the critical values zc = 1.96 z z = 0
0.95
0.025
0.025
–zc = –1.96
zc
zc = 1.96
zc = 1.96
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28. Solution: Sample Size zc = 1.96 σ ≈ s ≈ 53.0 E = 7
When necessary, round up to obtain a whole number.
You should include at least 221 users in your sample.
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29. Summary Found a point estimate and a margin of error
Constructed and interpreted confidence intervals for the population mean
Determined the minimum sample size required when estimating μ
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