Answer:
a) 0.0548 = 5.48% probability of a random sample of size 36 yielding a sample mean of 78 or more.
b) 0.9858 = 98.58% probability of a random sample of size 150 yielding a sample mean of between 71 and 77.
c) 0.5793 = 57.93% probability of a random sample of size 219 yielding a sample mean of less than 74.2
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this question, we need to understand the normal probability distribution and the central limit theorem.
Normal Probability Distribution:
Problems of normal distributions can be solved using the z-score formula.
In a set with mean
and standard deviation
, the z-score of a measure X is given by:
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7B%5Csigma%7D)
The Z-score measures how many standard deviations the measure is from the mean. After finding the Z-score, we look at the z-score table and find the p-value associated with this z-score. This p-value is the probability that the value of the measure is smaller than X, that is, the percentile of X. Subtracting 1 by the p-value, we get the probability that the value of the measure is greater than X.
Central Limit Theorem
The Central Limit Theorem estabilishes that, for a normally distributed random variable X, with mean
and standard deviation
, the sampling distribution of the sample means with size n can be approximated to a normal distribution with mean
and standard deviation
.
For a skewed variable, the Central Limit Theorem can also be applied, as long as n is at least 30.
The mean of a population is 74 and the standard deviation is 15.
This means that ![\mu = 74, \sigma = 15](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=%5Cmu%20%3D%2074%2C%20%5Csigma%20%3D%2015)
Question a:
Sample of 36 means that ![n = 36, s = \frac{15}{\sqrt{36}} = 2.5](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=n%20%3D%2036%2C%20s%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B15%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B36%7D%7D%20%3D%202.5)
This probability is 1 subtracted by the pvalue of Z when X = 78. So
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7B%5Csigma%7D)
By the Central Limit Theorem
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{s}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7Bs%7D)
![Z = \frac{78 - 74}{2.5}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B78%20-%2074%7D%7B2.5%7D)
![Z = 1.6](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%201.6)
has a pvalue of 0.9452
1 - 0.9452 = 0.0548
0.0548 = 5.48% probability of a random sample of size 36 yielding a sample mean of 78 or more.
Question b:
Sample of 150 means that ![n = 150, s = \frac{15}{\sqrt{150}} = 1.2247](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=n%20%3D%20150%2C%20s%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B15%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B150%7D%7D%20%3D%201.2247)
This probability is the pvalue of Z when X = 77 subtracted by the pvalue of Z when X = 71. So
X = 77
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{s}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7Bs%7D)
![Z = \frac{77 - 74}{1.2274}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B77%20-%2074%7D%7B1.2274%7D)
![Z = 2.45](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%202.45)
has a pvalue of 0.9929
X = 71
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{s}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7Bs%7D)
![Z = \frac{71 - 74}{1.2274}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B71%20-%2074%7D%7B1.2274%7D)
![Z = -2.45](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20-2.45)
has a pvalue of 0.0071
0.9929 - 0.0071 = 0.9858
0.9858 = 98.58% probability of a random sample of size 150 yielding a sample mean of between 71 and 77.
c. A random sample of size 219 yielding a sample mean of less than 74.2
Sample size of 219 means that ![n = 219, s = \frac{15}{\sqrt{219}} = 1.0136](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=n%20%3D%20219%2C%20s%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B15%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B219%7D%7D%20%3D%201.0136)
This probability is the pvalue of Z when X = 74.2. So
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{s}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7Bs%7D)
![Z = \frac{74.2 - 74}{1.0136}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B74.2%20-%2074%7D%7B1.0136%7D)
![Z = 0.2](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%200.2)
has a pvalue of 0.5793
0.5793 = 57.93% probability of a random sample of size 219 yielding a sample mean of less than 74.2