Pioneer Junior College H2 Mathematics Tutorial 26: SamPling Methods

JC2-2010
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Common sampling methods include

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SimpleRandomSamPling Stratitied Sampling Systemntic Sampling Quota Sampling

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Questions for discussions

l. Give a reason why, in carrying out a statistical investigation, a sample rather than a complete [t] rr r .r populationmaybeused. t.i*r,gt-r {ig55 +1","1 i'i:r*ti-rii'1!': ..r.r.r.rrr^r^. 'i ' v [97o9l7lNo5l4i]
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to be In the Arts cohort of 140 students this year, there are 60 girls and 80 boys. A survey is 14 members of taken to find methods to improve the college's canteen services. A sample of this group is needed for the survey.
for the The college decides to use one of the following methods to obtain the names of students sample: Every 10ft name on the Arts register is selected for the sample. the Each- of the 140 names is allocated a different number from 1 to 140 inclusive; between 1 and 140 inclusive. college's computer then picks 14 different random numbers

A: B: (i)

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3.

State briefly one advantage and one disadvantage for each nescrtbe how method B ian be modified to give a stratified random

method. sample.

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4.

In a small school there are 3 classes, each of 30 children, and2 classes, each of 20 children. A stirdent takes a sample of 10 children from the school, by taking 2 children at random from each class. State, *ith u reason, whether this gives a random sample of 10 children from the t a'undil"vt. [{rlt"p}t' 1\^t 1'"nU o{ f27 school. N0 Th11 rr${ lvoctdyt ,t::,-l,er tr"-q. 6, -i-'uo4t"'J ?Lott,*-." k,Uf+\^1.[N04/IV29a] 'rd'fs:-tt Sarrlp,l{ s"[!rZ*. -R' '" I /1 r+w-Dd 3'"'-t '.{. c.l-r,:.f qw,"'' e certiih drivate estate cbntains many small houses (with small gardens) and a few large houses (with large gardens). A sample survey of all houses is to be carried out in this estate. A be selected by sticking a pin into a map of the estate the student suggests-that the sample "outd requisite number of times, while blindfolded. t2l Give two reasons wtry this method does not produce a random t21 oescribe a better Specimen Paper HllH2 Example 1] [2006

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n6't{ Give a real-life example of a situation in which quota sampling could be used- 9"-p19" -il describe briefly any Fu ir rJ-\ why quota sampling would be appropriate in this situation, and t4l ;I'irt-;-tt ;t .i, disadvantage tfrat q"ota sampting J i ;;* "1't.

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you Explain briefly whether it would be possible to use stratified sampling in the situation tU have described inpart [N07/IV5l

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A school has a canteen where students can buy their lunch. Each day most, but not all, students
buy their lunch in the canteen.
canteen. The headteacher wants to find out what students think of the lunches provided in the buying their On one particular day she selects a sample of students to interview from those lunch by

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choosing at random one of the first 10 students to buy their lunch, then choosing every 10th student after the first student chosen.

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What is this type of sampling method State one advantage andone disadvantage of the sampling method usgd in this context. [2] t21 n6rribe an alteniative sampling method which would be better in this

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school has 950 pupils. A sample of 50 pupils is to be chosen to take part in a survey. l2l Describe how the tutnil. could be chosen using systematic gr*"y is to investigate pupils' opinions about the sports facilities available The purpose of the at the school. Give a r"*ot why a stratifiedsampte might be preferable in this context. I2l lH2lr{O8/IV5l

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An insurance compaoy receives a large number of claims for flood damage. on a particular day the company receives 72 such claims. Because of staff shortages, it is only possible to process 8 of these claims. (t) Describe how you would choose a systematic random sample of size 8 from the received

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claims.

I21 gives a better indication of the value of the Comment on whether this method of sampling 72 claims as compared to simply choosing as the sample the first 8 claims received. tU

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Suggested Answers for Discussion Questions

l.

Cheaper/ less time consuming/ any other legit reason.

2(i) Method

A:

Systematic sampling.

lt is easy to conduct since the college has a register of all the students. Since the register is arranged in alphabetical order, we cannot ensure the gender ratio is maintained. We may end up having a lot more girls than boys in the sample, where the gender ratio is very skewed. Method B: Simple random sampling. lt is free from bias. The register must be complete and up-to-date. Cannot ensure gender ratio. Therefore simple random sampling would be cumbersome if the population is large.
2(ii) Each of the 60 girls'names is allocated a different number from Gl to G60 inclusive, and each of the 80 boys'names is allocated a different number from Bl to 880 inclusive. The college's computer then picks 6 different random numbers between Gl and G60 inclusive and 8
different random numbers between Bl and B80 inclusive. No, this procedure does not give a random sample. The probability of a sample of size 2 being
chosen in the classes of 30 students chosen in the classes of 20 students
chance ofbeing chosen.

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, while the probability of a sample of size 2 being Therefore not all samples of size

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4(i) Large houses with large garden may have a bigger area shown"on the map than small houses with small gardens. Then, the probability of a large house being selected is higher than that of small houses.
Since the student needs to know the boundary (or area) where he can stick his pin, by sticking the pin more to the right of the map, he is selecting the houses on the eastern side of the estate. Hence there is bias.

4(ii) Stratified random sampling - The ratio of number of small houses to large houses in the sample should reflect the ratio of small houses to large houses in the estate. Within each strata, the unit'number of each house can be written on i regular sized piece of paper and placed in a box.
The papers are then thoroughly mixed and the required number of houses for the survey is then randomly picked out by the student.

Simple random sampling is possible here but stratified sampling is preferred.

5(i) Students are given a short time frame of 2 days to gather feedback on whether their school

has

a positive image among the general public. Since time is limited, quota sampling where they gather feedback from 100 people at the nearest MRT station would be appropriate.
disadvantage would be that only the opinion of people staying around the MRT station would be captured. (Bias because of geographical location)

5(ii)

sampling by gathering opinion of the different age group people because the different age groups may look out for different things.

It is possible to use stratified

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