Sample size

Sample size to estimate a

population mean
•  To construct a confidence interval estimator of μ, we use:
± z /√n
where we get z from the Z table. The confidence will be given, 95%,
90%,…

• Margin of error:
• Sample size:
Example
•  A student in public administration wants to estimate the mean
monthly earnings of city council members in large cities. The error in
estimating the mean is to be less than $100 with a 95% level of
confidence. The student found a report by the Department of Labor
that reported a standard deviation of $1000. What is the required
sample size.
• The maximum allowable error is .
• The value of for a 95% level of confidence is 1.96.
• The standard deviation is equal to 1000.
continue
•  The required sample size is:
• rounded up to 385.

• If the student wants to increase the level of confidence , for example

to 99%, this will require a larger sample. The value is 2.575.
• The required sample size is:=663.06 which should be rounded up to
664.
Sample size for the population
proportion
•  Margin of error:
• Sample size:
• is the size of the sample.
• is the standard normal value corresponding to the desired level of
confidence.
• is the population proportion.
• is the maximum allowable error.
Continue
•  If no good estimate of is available, the use

• Justification: has the largest value when

• The sample size will be given by:

Exercise 25 p.304
• Suppose the U. S. president wants an estimate of the proportion of
the population who support his current policy toward revisions in the
health care system. The president wants the estimate to be within
0.04 of the true proportion. Assume a 95% level of confidence. The
president’s political advisors estimated the proportion supporting the
current policy to be 0.6.
• A) How large of a sample is required?
• B) How large of a sample would be necessary if no estimate were
available for the proportion supporting current policy?
Solution
•  A) = which should be rounded up to 577.

• B) = which should be rounded up to 601.