Dylan wanted to find the average number of hours per day that the students in his class practiced their instruments. He chose three students by drawing their names from a hat. What should he do to ensure that he has an accurate average for the class? Expand Image
Answer
A
He should just find the average of 0 point 5 and 4 since 0 does not change anything when adding.
B
He should poll more students to eliminate the variability caused by a sample size that is too small.
C
He should add the three numbers and divide by 3 because that is how one finds an average.
D
He should take the middle number as his average since he has three observations.
Explanation
A sample of only three students may not represent the practice habits of the whole class, so its average could vary a lot depending on which students were chosen. Dylan should poll more students to make the sample more representative and reduce the effect of that variability. Choice B gives the best way to improve the accuracy of his estimate.
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