Question

A mathematics instructor wants to see if a computer homework system improves the scores of the students in the class. The instructor teaches two different sections of the same course. One section utilizes the computer homework system and the other section completes homework with paper and pencil. Are the two samples matched pairs or not? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Answer:

No

Step-by-step explanation:

Two samples are matched pairs if the samples are dependent sample. All the attributes or characteristics of these samples are the same except the one thing which we need to study or experiment.

The given samples are independent samples. So, these these two sample are not matched pair samples. Such samples cannot be used to perform the paired sample t test. For this test the samples must always be dependent.

Example of dependent or matched pairs samples under given scenario would be like:

The instructor teaches a section in one semester using the computer homework system and in the next semester he teaches the same section using the paper and pencil homework system.

Usually the pairs in matched pairs are the same people just at different time, as stated in the previous example.