FINDING THE MEAN AND

VARIANCE OF THE
SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION
OF MEANS
 EXAMPLE 1

Consider a population consisting of 1, 2, 3,

4 and 5. Suppose sample of size 2 are drawn
from this population. Describe the sampling
distribution of sample means.
STEPS IN FINDING THE MEAN AND VARIANCE
Steps Solution
1. Compute the mean μ = = = 3.00
of the population (μ).
2. Compute the X X-μ (X – μ)²
variance of the 1 -2 4
population (σ). 2 -1 1
3 0 0
4 1 1
5 2 4
= 10
σ² =
=
=2
So, the variance of the population is 2.
 STEP 3
• Determine the number of possible samples of size n = 2.

Use the formula N C n. Here N = 5 and n = 2.

5 C2 = 10
So, there are 10 possible samples
of size 2 that can be drawn.
 STEP 4
• List all possible samples and their corresponding
means. SAMPLES MEAN (Ẋ)
1, 2 1.50
1, 3 2.00
1, 4 2.50
1, 5 3.00
2, 3 2.50
2, 4 3.00
2, 5 3.50
3, 4 3.50
3, 5 4.00
4, 5 4.50
 STEP 5
• Construct the sampling distribution of the sample
means. SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION OF SAMPLE MEANS
Sample Mean (Ẋ) Frequency Probability P(Ẋ)
1.50 1
2.00 1
2.50 2
3.00 2
3.50 2
4.00 1
4.50 1
Total 10 1
 STEP 6 Ẋ·P(Ẋ)
Sample Mean Probability
Ẋ P(Ẋ)
Compute the mean 1.50 0.15

of the sampling 2.00 0.20

distribution of the 2.50 0.50

μ
3.00 0.60

sample mean ( Ẋ). 3.50 0.70

4.00 0.40
a. Multiply the sample 4.50 0.45
mean by the
corresponding μẊ=
Total
𝜮Ẋ·P(Ẋ)
1.00 3.00

probability. = 3.00
b.Add the results. So, the mean of the sampling distribution of
the sample mean is 3.00.
 STEP 7 Ẋ P(Ẋ) Ẋ-μ (Ẋ-μ)² P(Ẋ) · (Ẋ-
μ)²
Compute the variance ( σ² Ẋ ) of the 1.50 -1.50 2.25 0.225
sampling distribution of the sample 2.00 -1.00 1.00 0.100
means. Follow these steps:
a. Subtract the population mean (μ) 2.50 -0.50 0.25 0.050
from each sample mean (Ẋ). 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.000
Label this as Ẋ-μ.
3.50 0.50 0.25 0.050
b. Square the difference. Label
this as (Ẋ-μ)². 4.00 1.00 1.00 0.100
c. Multiply the results by the 4.50 1.50 2.25 0.225
corresponding probability. Label σ² = 𝜮P(Ẋ) · (Ẋ-μ)²
Total 1.00 0.750
this as P(Ẋ) · (Ẋ-μ)². = 0.75
d. Add the results. So, the variance of the sampling distribution is 0.75.
 STEP 8

•Construct the histogram for the

sampling distribution of the sample
means.
 EXAMPLE 2

Consider a population consisting of 1, 2, 3,

4 and 5. Suppose sample of size 3 are drawn
from this population. Describe the sampling
distribution of sample means.
Try to think about the answers to these questions:

• How do you compare mean of the sample

means and the mean of the population?
• How do you compare variance of the sample
means and the variance of the population?
 Properties of the Sampling distribution of
Sample Means
If all possible samples of size n are drawn from a population of size N with
mean μ and variance σ² , then the sampling distribution of the sample means
has the following properties:
1. The mean of the sampling distribution of the sample means is equal to the
population mean μ. That is, μ μ
Ẋ =

2. The variance of the sampling distribution of the sample means σ²

is given by:
• σ² = · for finite population; and
Ẋ

• σ² = for infinite population

Ẋ
3. The standard deviation of the sampling distribution of
the sample means is given by:

· σ = ·√ for finite population where √

Ẋ is the
finite population correction factor

· σ = for infinite population

Ẋ
 The Central Limit Theorem

If the random samples of size n are drawn form a

population, then as n becomes larger, the sampling
distribution of the means approaches the normal
distribution, regardless of the shape of the population
distribution.