CLASS TEST 1 MEMO
QUESTION 1-4:
Classify the variable, age of patient, by completing the following table:
1. [a] Categorical or Numerical
2. [b] Nominal, Ordinal, Continuous or Discrete
Classify the variable, number of beds in a hospital, by completing the following table:
1. [a] Categorical or Numerical
2. [b] Nominal, Ordinal, Continuous or Discrete
Classify the variable, eye colour (brown, blue, green, grey), by completing the following table:
1. [a] Categorical or Numerical
2. [b] Nominal, Ordinal, Continuous or Discrete
Classify the variable, pain level of patient (no pain, mild pain, moderate pain, severe pain, worst pain
imaginable), by completing the following table:
1. [a] Categorical or Numerical
2. [b] Nominal, Ordinal, Continuous or Discrete
QUESTION 5:
Indicate if the studies below are observational or an experiment
1. A study looked at a random sample of 500 publicly accessible MySpace web profiles posted
by 18-year-olds. The content of each profile was analyzed. One of the conclusions reported
was that displaying sport or hobby involvement was associated with decreased references to
risky behavior (sexual references or references to substance abuse or violence).
(Observational)
2. A study was conducted to determine if the risk of an infection is related to the length of a
hospital stay. The researchers looked at a large number of hospitalized patients and
compared the proportion who got an infection for two groups of patients - those who were
hospitalized overnight and those who were hospitalized for more than one night.
(Observational)
3. A statistics lecturer divided her class into two groups. She showed students a mug and then
asked students in one of the groups how much they would pay for the mug. Students in the
other group were asked how much they would sell the mug for if it belonged to them.
Surprisingly, the average value assigned to the mug was quite different for the two group.
(Experimental)
4. Researchers conducted a study where 638 adults with back pain were randomly assigned to
one of four groups. People in group 1 received the usual care for back pain. People in group
2 received acupuncture at a set of points tailored specifically for each individual. People in
group 3 received acupuncture at a standard set of points typically used in the treatment of
back pain. Those in group 4 received fake acupuncture - they were poked with a toothpick at
the same set of points chosen for the people in group 3. (Experimental)
Here the description in red indicates the key factor considered in whether the study is experimental or
observational.
QUESTION 6
For each of the situations described, state whether the sampling procedure is simple random
sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster sampling, systematic sampling, or convenience
sampling.
A. To obtain a sample of the third year students in the Department of Statistics, the secretary writes
the name of each student on a slip of paper, places the slips in a box and mixes them, and the HoD
then selects 10 slips. The students whose names are on the selected slips of paper are included in
the sample. A. Simple random sampling
B. Toobtainasampleofthoseattendingasoccermatch,aresearcherselectsthe 13th person through the
gate Then, every 50th person after that is also included in the sample. B. Systematic sampling
C. An NGO wants to create a sample of girls across five neighbouring towns to
provideeducation.TheNGOrandomlyselectstownstoformasampleandextend help to the girls deprived
of education in those towns. C. Cluster sampling
D. A researcher is interested in how having a doctoral degree affects the wage gap between men and
women among graduates of a certain university. Note that only a small proportion of this university’s
graduates have obtained a doctoral degree. The strategy you would recommend is: D. Stratified
sampling
QUESTION 7
An examination is given to students in an introductory statistics course. Indicate the likely true shape
of the histogram of scores
1. The likely shape of the histogram if the examination is quite easy, is negatively skewed (since
most students will have scored good marks) and you would expect the mean to be smaller
than the median.
2. The likely shape of the histogram if the examination is very difficult, is positively skewed
(since most students will have scored low marks) and you would expect the mean to be larger
than the median.
QUESTION 8
The table below displays four different five-number summaries.
For each case, consider the distance between the Lower Quartile and Median, as well as Median and
Upper Quartile.
Case I: B
Case II: A
Case III: D
Case IV: C
QUESTION 9
1. The question was asking about the median for females. Therefore it would be 10 drinks
2. The question was asking for the 75th percentile since the question was phrased on the top
25%. We therefore look at what is left over and that is the 75% below that point. This is
equivalent to the end of the box (Q3) which is 30 drinks.
QUESTION 10
Suppose the distribution of scores on a test can be described by a normal curve with mean 100. The
16th percentile of this distribution is 80.
(1) The 84th percentile is 120.
The position of the 16th percentile is 20 units away from the mean. Due to the property of reflection
and symmetry, the 84th percentile will be 20 units above the mean, which will be 100+20=120.
(2) The approximate value of the standard deviation of the test scores is 20.
At the 16th percentile, 34% of the data lies between the 16th percentile and the mean. This means
that the 16th percentile lies 1 standard deviation below the mean. Therefore the standard deviation is
20.
(3) The z-score associated with an exam score of 90 is -0.5. Z=(90-100)/20=-0.5
