Answer:
0.9452 = 94.52% probability that their mean length is less than 16.8 inches.
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 establishes 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 15.4 inches, and standard deviation of 3.5 inches.
This means that ![\mu = 15.4, \sigma = 3.5](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=%5Cmu%20%3D%2015.4%2C%20%5Csigma%20%3D%203.5)
16 items are chosen at random
This means that ![n = 16, s = \frac{3.5}{\sqrt{16}} = 0.875](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=n%20%3D%2016%2C%20s%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B3.5%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B16%7D%7D%20%3D%200.875)
What is the probability that their mean length is less than 16.8 inches?
This is the p-value of Z when X = 16.8. 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{16.8 - 15.4}{0.875}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B16.8%20-%2015.4%7D%7B0.875%7D)
![Z = 1.6](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%201.6)
has a p-value of 0.9452.
0.9452 = 94.52% probability that their mean length is less than 16.8 inches.