Week 6 ilab John Matias D03156412

Short Answer Writing Assignment

All answers should be complete sentences.
1. When rolling a die, is this an example of a discrete or continuous random variable?
Explain your reasoning.
Discrete, because the possible values are the whole numbers from one thru six
2. Calculate the mean and standard deviation of the probability distribution created by
rolling a die. Either show work or explain how your answer was calculated.

Mean: 3.5_

Standard deviation: _1.73

Expected
Value

Mean =
x
1
2
3
4
5
6

P(x)
xP(x)
1/6
1/6
1/6
1/3
1/6
1/2
1/6
2/3
1/6
5/6
1/6
1
sum
=

stan
dev

sum
(xu)^2 P(x)

x
1
2
3
4
5
6

x-u
-2.5
-1.5
-0.5
0.5
1.5
2.5

(x(xu)^
u)^2P(x
2
)
6.25
1
2.25
3/8
0.25
0
0.25
0
2.25
3/8
6.25
1

sum
=
variance =

3
3

stan dev =

1.73

3 1/2

sum

xP(x)

3. Give the mean for the mean column of the Worksheet. Is this estimate centered about
the parameter of interest (the parameter of interest is the answer for the mean in
question 2)?

mean of each column

3.45
3.65
3.80
average of the mean
columns

3.65

3.75

3.30

3.56

3.85
3.50
3.25
centered around parameter of
interest

4. Give the mean for the median column of the Worksheet. Is this estimate centered
about the parameter of interest (the parameter of interest is the answer for the mean in
question 2)?
median of each
column
3
4
average of the
medians

4
3.55

4
3.5
3
not centered around parameter of
interest

5. Give the standard deviation for the mean and median column. Compare these and be
sure to identify which has the least variability?

stan dev of the

means
0.21

stan dev of the

medians
0.50

The standard deviation for the means is smaller than the standard deviation of the
median. Therefore the standard deviation of the mean has less variation.

6. Based on questions 3, 4, and 5 is the mean or median a better estimate for the
parameter of interest? Explain your reasoning.
Sense the mean is a parameter of interest, is a better estimate.

7. Give and interpret the 95% confidence interval for the hours of sleep a student gets.
95% confidence
interval
(6.214, 7.686)

lengt
h
1.472

8. Give and interpret the 99% confidence interval for the hours of sleep a student gets.
99% confidence
interval
(5.944, 7.956)

2.012

9. Compare the 95% and 99% confidence intervals for the hours of sleep a student gets.
Explain the difference between these intervals and why this difference occurs.
The 99% confidence interval is wider.