Answer:
0.8254 = 82.54% probability that the mean of this sample is between 19.25 hours and 21.0 hours
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.
Mean of 20 hours, standard deviation of 6:
This means that ![\mu = 20, \sigma = 6](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=%5Cmu%20%3D%2020%2C%20%5Csigma%20%3D%206)
Sample of 150:
This means that ![n = 150, s = \frac{6}{\sqrt{150}}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=n%20%3D%20150%2C%20s%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B6%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B150%7D%7D)
What is the probability that the mean of this sample is between 19.25 hours and 21.0 hours?
This is the p-value of Z when X = 21 subtracted by the p-value of Z when X = 19.5. So
X = 21
![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{21 - 20}{\frac{6}{\sqrt{150}}}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B21%20-%2020%7D%7B%5Cfrac%7B6%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B150%7D%7D%7D)
![Z = 2.04](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%202.04)
has a p-value of 0.9793
X = 19.5
![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{19.5 - 20}{\frac{6}{\sqrt{150}}}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B19.5%20-%2020%7D%7B%5Cfrac%7B6%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B150%7D%7D%7D)
![Z = -1.02](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20-1.02)
has a p-value of 0.1539
0.9793 - 0.1539 = 0.8254
0.8254 = 82.54% probability that the mean of this sample is between 19.25 hours and 21.0 hours