Question

The sound intensity of a certain type of food processor in normally distributed with standard deviation of 2.9 decibels. If the measurements of the sound intensity of a random sample of 9 such food processors showed a sample mean of 50.3 decibels, find a 95% confidence interval estimate of the (true, unknown) mean sound intensity of all food processors of this type

Answer 1

Answer: $(48.41,\ 52.19)$

Explanation:

The confidence interval for population mean is given by :-

$\overline{x}\pm z_{\alpha/2}\dfrac{\sigma}{\sqrt{n}}$

Given : Sample size : $n=9$

Sample mean : $\ovreline{x}=50.3\text{ decibels}$

Standard deviation : $\sigma=2.9\text{ decibels }$

Significance level : $\alpha=1-0.95=0.05$

Critical value : $z_{\alpha/2}=z_{0.025}=1.96$

Now, the 95% confidence interval estimate of the (true, unknown) mean sound intensity of all food processors of this type :-

$50.3\pm (1.96)\dfrac{2.9}{\sqrt{9}}\\\\\approx50.3\pm1.89\\\\=(50.3-1.89,\ 50.3+1.89)=(48.41,\ 52.19)$