Module 7: Sampling Distributions Practice Problems

1. The mean of a population is 75 and the standard deviation is 7. Determine the

probabilities associated with the following if we take a random sample of 49:
a. 𝑃( 73.5 < 𝑋̅ < 76)
b. 𝑃( 72 < 𝑋̅ < 74)
c. 𝑃(𝑋̅ < 72.7)

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 Module 7: Sampling Distributions Practice Problems

2. It is known that 45% of the population possesses a given characteristic. Determine the
probabilities associated with the following:
a. 𝑃(𝑝̂ > .49) 𝑛 = 1,350
b. 𝑃(𝑝̂ < .40) 𝑛 = 458
c. 𝑃(. 41 < 𝑝̂ < .53) 𝑛 = 60

3. The lifetimes of a certain type of calculator battery are normally distributed. The mean
lifetime is 400 days, with a standard deviation of 50 days. For a sample of 100 new
batteries, determine the probability that the sample mean will be:
a. greater than 407 days
b. between 395 and 405 days
c. less than 390 days

4. Assume that a human pregnancy has a population mean of 280 days and a standard
deviation of 8 days. Determine the probability that one randomly chosen pregnant
woman exceeds 284 days before giving birth.

5. It is known that 35% of freshmen at a large university applied to at least one other
university when they were in high school. We draw a random sample of 200 freshmen.
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 Module 7: Sampling Distributions Practice Problems

What is the probability that our sample will be within 2 percentage points of the true
value?

6. According to AAA, seventy-three percent of Americans will travel outside of their home
state in the coming year. A random sample of 300 Americans is conducted and they are
asked about their plans to travel outside of their home state in the coming year.
a. What is the probability that between 210 and 234 will say they plan to travel
outside of their home state?
b. What is the probability that more than 78% of those in the sample will say they
plan to travel outside of their home state in the coming year?
c. What if the study was conducted a second time, and the sample size was
increased to 800, then what would the probability of more than 78% of those in
the sample responding that they plan to travel out of state in the coming year.
d. Explain the difference in your answers to parts (b) and (c).

7. The internal auditing staff of a local manufacturing company performs a sample audit
each quarter to estimate the proportion of accounts that are delinquent more than 90
days overdue. The historical records of the company show that over the past 8 years 13
percent of the accounts are delinquent. For this quarter, the auditing staff randomly
selected 250 customer accounts. What is the probability that no more than 40 accounts
will be classified as delinquent?

8. According to a hospital administrator, historical records over the past 10 years have
shown that 20% of the major surgery patients are dissatisfied with after-surgery care in
the hospital. A poll based on 400 hospital patients has just been conducted.
Sixty-four (64) patients indicated that they were dissatisfied with the after surgery care.
What are the mean and the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of 𝑝̂ ?

9. The amount that a family of four spends at the concession stand during a football game
is approximately normally distributed with an average of $30.67 and standard
deviation of $3.00. A sample of 40 families is taken, what is the probability that the
average expenditure will be between $30 and $31?

n = 40 µ = $ 30.67 =$3
P(30 < x < 31):

x 31  30.67
z   0.70
 3
n 40

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 Module 7: Sampling Distributions Practice Problems

x 30  30.67
z   1.41
 3
n 40

the area for z = 0.70 is .2580

the area for z = -1.41 is .4207
P(30 < x < 31) = .2580 + .4207 = .6787

10. Video game systems are one of the most popular gifts at the holidays. If the average cost
of a video game system on Black Friday is advertised to be $281 with a standard
deviation of $47, what is the probability that a sample of 65 will produce a sample mean
greater than $273?

µ = $281 n = 65  = $47

P( x > $273):

x 273  281

z =  = -1.37
 47
n 65

z = -1.37 is .4147

P( x > $273) = .5000 + .4147 = .9147

11. Based on data obtained from the National Educators Association (NEA) the proportion
of students who admit to having cheated on an assignment was found to be 54%. A local
researcher has contacted 565 students in an attempt to replicate the NEA study. What is
the probability that 339 or more of the students will say they have cheated on an
assignment in the past?

p = .54 n = 565

P(x > 339):

x 339
p̂ =  = .60
n 565

pˆ  p .60  .54
z =  = 2.86
pq (.54)(.46)
n 565

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 Module 7: Sampling Distributions Practice Problems

z = 2.86 is .4979

P(x > 339) = .5000 - .4979 = .0021

12. The average salary of a veterinarian who is willing to work with exotic animals is
$110,000 per year with a standard deviation of $40,000 per year. We take a sample of
50 veterinarians.
a. What is the value of the standard error of the mean?
b. What is the probability that the average salary in our sample will be more than
$100,000?
c. What is the probability that our sample will yield an average salary of at least
$112,000?