Max K, Sofia D, Elaine H

How Smart is that Cookie?

For our chapter 8 project, we were given our topics and data. Our group was assigned the
topic of adult IQ scores. Here is a copy of our table:

81 101 109 114 123 131

82 102 110 115 124 133

89 102 110 116 124 134

90 102 110 117 124 134

94 103 112 117 125 136

96 105 112 117 126 137

97 106 113 118 127 139

100 108 113 118 127 139

101 109 114 122 128 142

101 109 114 122 130 145

The first values we needed to find in order to work on the rest of the project were the
sample size, mean, and standard deviation. We used the calculator to put in all of the data and
found the 1 variable statistics, we also used google sheets to double check the information. We
got the sample size (n), mean (𝑋), and standard deviation (s). Our sample size was 60, meaning
we have 60 data points. It was really easy to find, as we just had to count how many boxes we
had. Once we had n, we were able to find our degrees of freedom, which is n - 1. So, that makes
our d.f. 59. Our sample mean was 114.98, and our standard deviation was 14.8. As noted above,
we found these by using the stats function on the calculator and then the “=AVERAGE(”
function in google sheets.
Once we got all of those values, we were able to find the critical values for 90%, 95%,
and 99% confidence levels. We used table 4, along with the degree of freedom and confidence
levels, to find the critical values. Because our degree of freedom is 59, we had to round up to 60
on the table to find tc. Our critical values are as follows:
90% = 1.671 95% = 2.000 99% = 2.6610
Now that we have the critical values, we are able to find the maximal margin of error for
𝑆
those 90%, 95%, and 99% confidence levels. We used this equation: E = tc · , and found the
𝑛
following values:
 Max K, Sofia D, Elaine H

For 90% : E = 1.671 x (14.8 / 60) = 3.912

For 95% : E = 2.0 x (14.8 / 60) = 3.821
For 99% : E = 2.6610 x (14.8 / 60) = 5.084
Now that we had the value of E, we were able to find the confidence intervals for each
90%, 95%, and 99% confidence level respectively. These three intervals represent the range
between two IQ scores to find the mean of the population. To find the interval we followed this
formula: 𝑋 - E < µ < 𝑋 + E. Below are our intervals for each confidence level we needed and
the work is underneath it.
90% : 111.068 < µ < 118.892
114.98 - 3.912 = 111.068 114.98 + 3.912 = 118.892
95% : 111.159 < µ < 118.801
114.98 - 3.821 = 111.159 114.98 + 3.821 = 118.801
99% : 109.896 < µ < 120.064
114.98 - 5.084 = 109.896 114.98 + 5.084 = 120.064
The last question our project rubric asks us is: What would have changed if we had been
given σ (the population standard deviation). If we were given the σ then we could have used different
equations using the population standard deviation. We could have found the population size without
knowing the sample size. We also could have found the confidence interval by using a difference table
(table 3b). We could have changed the way we solved for the intervals if we had σ.