Sampling
The activities in this workbook are designed to help students to understand what happens when a sample is taken, how to calculate the confidence interval for a mean and what this interval represents.
The first three spreadsheets consider samples taken from a normal distribution, a uniform distribution and an exponential distribution respectively. In each case, students compare the variability of the sample mean when different sample sizes are used. Work card 6.1/2/3 support student use of these spreadsheets.
The next three spreadsheets investigate the [b]sampling distribution of the mean[/b] when sampling from a normal, uniform and an exponential distribution. Students are able to alter the sample size and the number of samples considered. Work card 6.4/5/6 support student use of these spreadsheets.
The next spreadsheet is designed to enable students understand how a [b]confidence interval for a population mean[/b] is calculated. Students are able to alter the percentage degree of confidence, the sample mean, the sample size and the standard deviation of the population mean thus determine what effect these alterations have on the size of the confidence interval. Work card 6.7 support student use of this spreadsheet.
The next spreadsheet is designed to enable students understand how a [b]confidence interval for a population proportion[/b] is calculated. Students are able to alter the percentage degree of confidence, the sample proportion and the sample size and thus determine what effect these alterations have on the size of the confidence interval. Work card 6.8 support student use of this spreadsheet and poses further challenges.
The final spreadsheet is designed to help students understand how often the confidence interval does include the mean of the population. Students are able to alter the size of the sample, the population mean and standard deviation and the percentage degree of confidence. A chart makes it easy to see whether the population mean lies within the confidence interval for a number of different samples. Work card 6.9 support student use of this spreadsheet and poses further challenges.
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Sampling workcards 48 KB
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Sampling workbook 96.5 KB