4. The situations described below involve either a whole population or a sample. In each case, (a) decide whether the whole population or a sample should be used, and (b) explain why you think the whole population or a sample is best.
(i) To determine the number of hours an AAA battery will last in a calculator.
(ii) To determine the average number of siblings of your classmates.
(iii) To determine the popularity of a new fruit- fl avoured yogurt.
5. Give an example of a data collection method where the cost and time needed to complete the collection may lead to problems and justify your answer.
6. Common methods of surveying are by personal interviews, over the phone, or by email. Create a table where you explain the advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods of data collection.
7. For each of the following, identify a sample of people whose opinions would bias the survey results. Explain your choice.
(i) Should fur from animals be used for coats? (ii) Should the legal voting age be reduced?
(iii) Should households be fi ned for not recycling?
(iv) Should people over 66 get free travel?
8. A TV talent show uses viewers’ opinions to help determine the popularity of its contestants. At the end of each show, viewers cast votes for their favourite contestants by texting in at €1·15 per text. Do you think the opinions of the sample will refl ect those of the population? Explain.
9. Siobhán wants to fi nd out how often people go to the cinema. She stands outside the cinema and gives a questionnaire to all the women leaving.
(i) Is Siobhán’s sample biased? Give two reasons to support your answer.
(ii) How could Siobhán improve her sample?
10. Copy the table and put a tick (✓) in the correct box in each row to show whether each statement is true or false. If the statement is false, explain why.
Statement
(i) A census is a survey completed by an entire population
(ii) Data is always numbers (iii) The size of a sample doesn’t matter
(iv)
If all members of the population don’t have an equal chance of being picked, the sample will be biased
(v) Secondary data is gathered fi rst-hand by the researcher
Taking it FURTHER
11. Every fi ve years, the Central Statistics Offi ce conducts a census of the population of Ireland.
(i) Do they survey a sample or the whole population? Justify your answer.
(ii) One question in the survey is used to determine the ages of the people in each household. Why would the government need to know people’s ages?
(iii) There is a legal obligation on people to complete the census. Why do you think this is the case?
(iv) All the information that you give on the census form is confi dential and can only be accessed by the CSO. Why do you think this is important?