Unit 7 Assignment:In the News

Question

In a newspaper, magazine or the internet, find information that discusses an “average”. Apply what you are learning about statistics to make a prediction. Begin the process by following these steps:

1. Include your article as a screenshot, or copy and paste it and include the link to the article.
2. What are the units of the variable?
3. Is the average used, the median or mean? How can you tell?
4. Calculate the five-number box plot and draw the box plot.
5. Calculate the standard deviation.
6. What is the spread of the data?
7. Make a probability statement based on the data using the z-score table.
8. Write an analysis based on what you have learned.

Answer 1

Census report news article showing the "average" family has 2.3 children

units are children

it's the mean. you can tell because the median would be either an integer or include a fraction = 1/2

the median would likely be either 2, 3, or 2.5

spread would likely be from 0 to at most about 20. some high numbers likely skew the mean to the right of the median, so the median is probably 2, and possibly .5, 1 or 1.5. Mode is likely 2, possibly 1 or 3

if you randomly selected a family best guess as to number of children would be 2

50% chance the family has less than 2.3 children, 50% chance more than 2.3 children

z score for x=2.3 is 0

50% chance 2 or less children. 50% chance 3 or more children