Question

Harriet is testing the hypothesis that her cat is faster than her dog in a short sprint. She times her cat, Mittens, as it runs 30 meters. She then times her dog, Mandrake, as it runs the same thirty meters.
Animal
Time (seconds)
Mittens
3.4
Mandrake
4.1

Can Harriet conclude that her cat is faster than her dog?

A.
No; Harriet should race the animals several times before she makes that conclusion.
B.
Yes; since Mittens finished with a faster time than Mandrake, he must be a faster runner.
C.
Yes; since Harriet's data agrees with her hypothesis, it must be correct.
D.
No; Harriet should time her animals at much longer distances before she makes that conclusion.

Answer 1

Answer:

A.

No; Harriet should race the animals several times before she makes that conclusion.

Answer 2

Answer:

A.

No; Harriet should race the animals several times before she makes that conclusion.

Explanation:

When you make a conclusion, you have to consider that your data can come out differently each time. After you race them about 5 times or so, collect the data and find the average time of each one, then you will get a basic idea of which one is faster.