The student government at the local middle school surveyed students to help plan the end-of-year party. For the first sample, they surveyed every other person at sports practice after school. For the second sample, they surveyed every fifth person entering the cafeteria where all students eat. Which statement about the samples is true?

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|}
\hline \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{ Sample 1 End-of-Year Party Survey } \\
\hline Water Park & & \\
\hline Bowling/Arcade & 31 & Bowling/Arcade & 36 \\
\hline Zoo & 16 & Zoo & 28 \\
\hline Dance \& Dinner & 27 & Dance \& Dinner & 24 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

A. Sample 1 is biased.

B. Sample 2 is biased.

C. Both samples are biased.

D. Neither sample is biased.



Answer :

Let's analyze and compare the two samples to determine which statement about the samples is true.

Sample 1: Survey at Sports Practice
- This sample surveys every other person at sports practice after school.
- The students at sports practice are likely those who participate in sports or are physically active. Thus, this sample might not represent the views or preferences of students who do not participate in sports.
- Since it only includes a subset of students (those who attend sports practice), the results may show a bias towards preferences relevant to this group.

Sample 2: Survey at Cafeteria
- This sample surveys every fifth person entering the cafeteria.
- The cafeteria is a place where all students, regardless of their extracurricular activities, come to eat. Therefore, this sample is likely to include a more diverse and representative group of students.

Given these points:
- Sample 1 is biased because it exclusively targets students who are involved in sports, potentially skewing the results towards their preferences.
- Sample 2 is less likely to be biased because it includes a random sample of students from various backgrounds and interests who all share the common activity of eating in the cafeteria.

Conclusion:
The correct statement about the samples is Sample 1 is biased. This is because it does not represent the entire population of the student body, focusing only on those attending sports practice, while Sample 2 is more representative and thus less likely to be biased.

Other Questions