What is the population parameter of interest, and what is the correct notation for this parameter?

Question

I an august 2012 gallup survey of 1,012 randomly selected U.S. adults (age 18 and over), 53% said that they were dissatisfied with the quality of education students receive in kindergarten through grade 12. they aslo report that the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4%

Answer 1

Hi Madeline,

 

         This poll is interested in the PROPORTION of U.S. adults, as represented in this random sample of 1012, that are dissatisfied with the quality of education students receive in K-12.  So the population parameter of interest is the proportion, denoted by the single letter "p"...[in this particular case, we can estimate this population parameter with the sample statistic for the proportion, denoted "p-hat," a "p" with a caret over it.  Here,

 

                               p-hat =  0.53  +/- 0.04]

 

Hope that helps!

 

David F. from Modesto, CA