To create a simulation of 20,000 sheep grazing in an isolated valley, a scientist needs to determine the average amount of grass
eaten per day by an actual sheep. Which of the following is the best course of action for establishing this parameter? A. Divide the total amount of grass eaten by all sheep in the valley by 20,000.
B. Determine the average daily grass consumption for 20 randomly selected sheep.
C. Choose a random value to use as the daily amount of grass eaten by one sheep.
D. Measure the amount of grass eaten per day by a single sheep.
The correct answer is option B. "Determine the average daily grass consumption for 20 randomly selected sheep".
Explanation:
One common approach to study a population with a very large number of individuals is to randomly select a sample and perform the study on it. This approach has the advantage that any individual could be selected, which makes more feasible that the sample is representative of the population. In this case, to know the average amount of grass eaten per day by an actual sheep to make a simulation of 20,000 sheep, it is feasible to determine the average daily grass consumption for 20 randomly selected sheep. The 20 sheep must be studied determining the average amount of grass eaten and the variability among the population.
