Math  /  Data & Statistics

QuestionSAT scores: Assume that in a given year the mean mathematics SAT score was 605 , and the standard deviation was 136. A sample of 76 scores is chosen. Use Excel.
Part: 0/50 / 5
Part 1 of 5 (a) What is the probability that the sample mean score is less than 589 ? Round the answer to at least four decimal places.
The probability that the sample mean score is less than 589 is \square

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? If we grab 76 random SAT math scores, what are the chances the average of *those* scores is less than 589? Watch out! We're dealing with the *sample mean*, not individual scores, so the standard deviation changes!

STEP 2

1. Calculate the standard error.
2. Calculate the z-score.
3. Find the probability.

STEP 3

Alright, so we're dealing with a *sample* of scores, not the entire population.
This means we need the **standard error**, which tells us how spread out the *sample means* are likely to be.
It's like the standard deviation, but for sample means!

STEP 4

The formula for the standard error is SE=σnSE = \frac{\sigma}{\sqrt{n}}, where σ\sigma is the **population standard deviation** (σ=136\sigma = 136) and nn is the **sample size** (n=76n = 76).

STEP 5

Let's plug in the numbers: SE=136761368.71815.60SE = \frac{136}{\sqrt{76}} \approx \frac{136}{8.718} \approx 15.60.
So, our **standard error** is approximately 15.6015.60.

STEP 6

The **z-score** tells us how far away our sample mean is from the population mean, in terms of standard errors.
It's like a standardized score that lets us use the z-table to find probabilities.

STEP 7

The formula for the z-score is z=xˉμSEz = \frac{\bar{x} - \mu}{SE}, where xˉ\bar{x} is the **sample mean** we're interested in (xˉ=589\bar{x} = 589), μ\mu is the **population mean** (μ=605\mu = 605), and SESE is the **standard error** we just calculated (SE15.60SE \approx 15.60).

STEP 8

Plugging in the values, we get z=58960515.60=1615.601.03z = \frac{589 - 605}{15.60} = \frac{-16}{15.60} \approx -1.03.
Our **z-score** is approximately 1.03-1.03.

STEP 9

Now, we can use our **z-score** to find the probability that the sample mean is less than 589.
We'll use the z-table (or a calculator) to find the area to the *left* of our z-score of 1.03-1.03.

STEP 10

Looking up 1.03-1.03 in the z-table, we find a probability of approximately 0.15150.1515.

STEP 11

The probability that the sample mean score is less than 589 is approximately 0.15150.1515.

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