Subject: Statistics and Probability

Code: ET 21043
Practical: Inferential Statistics

Question 1

Part (i)

The mean of a random sample of seven observations of a normally distributed random variable
X is 132.6. Based on these seven observations, an unbiased estimate of the parent population
variance s2 is 148.84. Explain why an estimate of the standard error is given by 4.61.

Part (ii)

Show that a 95 % confidence interval for the mean µ of X is 121.3 to 143.9.

Question 2

Part (i)

The weights in grams of six beetles of a particular species are as follows: 12,3, 9,7, 11,8, 10,1, 11,2, 12,4.
Calculate the sample mean and show that an estimate of the sample variance is 1.291.

Part (ii)

Show that a 90 % confidence interval for the mean µ of X is 10.32 to 12.18.

Question 3
An aptitude test for entrance to university is designed to produce scores that may be modeled
by the normal distribution. In early testing, 15 students from the appropriate age group are
given the test. Their scores (out of 500) are as follows:

321 445 219 378 317 407 289 345

276 463 265 165 340 298 315

Part (i)

Use these data to estimate the mean and standard deviation to be expected for students taking
this test.

Part (ii)

Construct a 95 % confidence interval for the mean.

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 Subject: Statistics and Probability
Code: ET 21043
Practical: Inferential Statistics

Question 4
A fruit farmer has a large number of almond trees, all of the same variety and of the same age.
One year, he wishes to estimate the mean yield of his trees. He collects all the almonds from
eight trees and records the following weights (in kg):

36 53 78 67
92 77 59 66

Part (i)

Use these data to estimate the mean and standard deviation of the yields of all the farmer’s
trees.

Part (ii)

Construct a 95 % confidence interval for the mean yield.

Part (iii)

What statistical assumption is required for your procedure to be valid?

Part (iv)

How might you select a sample of eight trees from those growing in a large field?

Question 5
A forensic scientist is trying to decide whether a man accused of fraud could have written a
particular letter. As part of the investigation, she looks at the lengths of sentences used in the
letter. She finds them to have the following numbers of words:

17 18 25 14 18 16 14 16 16 21 25 19

Part (i)

Use these data to estimate the mean and standard deviation of the lengths of sentences used by
the letter writer.

Part (ii)

Construct a 90 % confidence interval for the mean length of the letter writer’s sentences.

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 Subject: Statistics and Probability
Code: ET 21043
Practical: Inferential Statistics

623 584 598 701 656 210 23 655 661 599

634 681 197 25 592 643 642 698 659 201
19 588 672 612 706 650 212 29 681 642
677

Part (iii)

What assumptions have you made to obtain your answer?

Part (iv)

A sample of sentences written by the accused has a mean length of 26 words. Does this mean
he is innocent?

Question 6

A large company is investigating the number of incoming telephone calls at its exchange, in order
to determine how many telephone lines it should have. On Sundays very few calls are received
because the office is closed. During March one year, the number ofcalls received each day was
recorded, as follows.

Part (i)

What day of the week was 1 March?

Part (ii)

Which of the data do you consider relevant to the company’s research and why?

Part (iii)

Construct a 95 % confidence interval for the number of incoming calls per weekday.

Part (iv)

Your calculation is criticised on the grounds that your data are discrete and so the underlying
distribution cannot possibly be normal. How would you respond to this criticism?

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 Subject: Statistics and Probability
Code: ET 21043
Practical: Inferential Statistics

Question 7
A tyre company is trying out a new tread pattern, which it is hoped will result in the tyres
giving greater distance. In a pilot experiment, 12 tyres are tested; the mileages (in 1000 miles)
at which they are condemned are as follows:

65 63 71 78 65 69 59 81 72 66 63 62

Part (i)

Construct a 95 % confidence interval for the mean distance that a tyre travels before being
condemned.

Part (ii)

What assumptions, statistical and practical, are required for your answer to part (i) to be valid?

Question 8
A large fishing-boat made a catch of 500 mackerel from a shoal. The total mass of the catch was
320 kg. The standard deviation of the mass of individual mackerel is known to be 0,06 kg.

Part (i)

Find a 99 % confidence interval for the mean mass of a mackerel in the shoal.
An individual fisherman caught ten mackerel from the same shoal. These had masses (in kg) of:

1.04 0.94 0.92 0.85 0.85 0.70 0.68 0.62 0.61 0.59

Part (ii)

Estimate the mean and standard deviation of the masses of mackerel in the shoal using the
provided data.

Part (iii)

Assuming the masses of mackerel are normally distributed, use your results from part (ii) to
find another 99 % confidence interval for the mean mass of a mackerel in the shoal.

Part (iv)

Give two statistical reasons why you would use the first limits you calculated in preference to
the second limits.