IT2011

Laboratory Exercise
Sampling and Sampling Distribution
Objective:

At the end of the exercise, the students should be able to:

 Simulate drawing random samples, computing a particular statistic, and constructing sampling
distribution
I. Perform the required procedures.

For this exercise, you will be using an online simulator that will let you explore various aspects of a sampling
distribution. Kindly visit www.onlinestatbook.com/stat_sim/sampling_dist. Read the instructions, then click
the “Begin” button to start the simulation.

You will see a histogram at the top of the screen. This is the parent population from which the samples are
taken. The mean, median, and standard deviation of the distribution are displayed on the histogram’s left.
The second histogram displays the sample data taken from the parent population. This is initially blank.
The third and fourth histograms show the distribution of the statistic computed from the sample data. The
option N in those histograms is the sample size you are drawing from the population. We will be exploring
the distribution of the sample mean by drawing many samples from the parent distribution and examining
the distribution of the sample means.
Step 1: Describe the parent population. What is the mean and Standard deviation? (3 points)
 The parent population consists of the data sample that has been obtained. The
mean is 16.00 and the standard deviation is 5.00

Step 2: Click the “Animated” button on the right of the second histogram. The animation shows five (5)
samples being drawn from the population. Their mean is computed and dropped down onto the third
histogram. Repeat this process five (5) times then click the “5” button. What was the sample mean, median,
and standard deviation? (3 points)

 Mean- 7.86
 Median- 16.00
 SD- 7.91

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Step 3: Click the “10,000” button on the right of the second histogram. This takes 10,000 samples at once
and will place those 10,000 sample means on the third histogram and update the mean and standard
deviation of the sample means. Record the mean and standard deviation of the sample means. What shape
does the third histogram have? How do these findings compare to the parent distribution? (3 points)
 Mean- 15.97
 SD- 2.26
 The shape of the 3rd histogram is
symmetric. As compare to the parent
distribution, its mean and the mean of 3 rd
histogram are mostly the same but the
standard deviation of the parent
distribution increased from the data in the
3rd histogram.

Step 4: Hit the “Clear lower 3” button in the upper right corner. Change N = 5 to N = 25 for the third
histogram. Click the “Animated” button at least once. Then click the “10,000” button. Record the mean and
standard deviation of the sample means. What shape does the third histogram have? How do these findings
compare to the parent distribution? (3 points)
 Mean- 16.00
 SD- 1.01
 The shape of the 3rd histogram is
peaked. The findings compare to the
parent distribution says that the mean
in both histograms is the same while
the standard deviation of the parent
distribution is more disperse than the
3rd histogram.

Step 5: Compare the different standard deviations from Steps 3 and 4. What effect does the sample size
appear to have on the standard deviation of the sample means? (3 points)

 The standard deviation in step 3 and 4 tells that the standard deviation in step 4 is
lower than the standard deviation in steps 3. It differs because it changes the
value of N in step 4 which is from 5 to 25. The effect is the spread becomes
smaller with a larger sample.
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Step 6: Click the “Clear Lower 3” button once again, then change the parent distribution to skewed. Record
the new mean and standard deviation of the parent population. In which direction is this distribution
skewed? (3 points)

 Mean- 8.08
 SD- 6.22
 The direction of the new
distribution is skewed left

Step 7: Set N =5 back for the third histogram. Set “Mean” and N = 25 for the fourth histogram. Click the
“10,000” button at once. Record the sample means and standard deviations of the third and fourth
histograms. What do the distributions look like for the third and fourth histograms? Are they skewed like the
parent population? (3 points)

 In the 3rd histogram, the mean is

8.07 and the standard deviation is
2.79. In the 4th histogram, the mean
is 8.08 and the standard deviation is
1.23. The distribution in 3rd
histogram is larger than the 4th
histogram. No, they are not skewed
as the parent distribution; they
appear to be normal and/or
symmetrical.

Step 8: Explain what happened to the sampling distribution as the sample size N becomes larger. (4 points)

 When the sample size becomes larger, the spread of the distribution becomes
smaller just like on the 4th histogram, when I changed the N=5 to N=25, the spread
seems to be smaller compare to the one with N=5. The conclusion based on the
histograms will change as the size changes.

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Rubric for 3-point items

Criteria Points
The answer is complete and clearly stated. 3
The answer is clear, but not complete. 2
The answer is far from the expected response. 1

Rubric for Step 8

Criteria Points
The answer provides an accurate explanation about sampling
4
distribution concerning its sample size.
The answer explains sampling distribution. 3
The answer explains the sampling distribution, but it is far from
2
the expected response.
The answer does not explain the sampling distribution 1

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