‫الجامعة التكنولوجية‬

‫قسم هندسة البناء واالنشاءات – كافة الفروع‬

‫المرحلة الثانية‬

ENGIEERING STATISTICS
(Lectures)
University of Technology,
Building and Construction Engineering Department
(Undergraduate study)

SAMPLING THEORY

Dr. Maan S. Hassan Lecturer: Azhar H. Mahdi

2010 – 2011
Link between Population and Sampling:

Probability
Population Sample

Statistics

1.0 SAMPLING DISTRIBUTIONS

Statistical inference is concerned with making decisions about a population based

on the information contained in a random sample from that population.

For instance, the mean fill volume of a can (population) is required to be 300 mm.

An engineer takes a random sample of 25 cans and computes the sample

average fill volume to be

x‾ = 298 mm

The engineer will probably decide that the population mean is µ=300 mm,
even though the sample mean was 298 mm because he or she knows that the
sample mean is a reasonable estimate of µ and that a sample mean of 298 mm is
very likely to occur, even if the true population mean is µ=300 mm.

Test values of x‾ vary both above and below µ=300 mm.

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 The sampling distribution of a statistic depends on:

 The distribution of the population,

 The size of the sample, and
 The method of sample selection.

2.0 SAMPLING METHODS:

1. Random sampling
2. Systematic sampling
3. Stratified sampling
4. Multi-stage sampling

3.0 SAMPLING DISTRIBUTIONS OF MEANS

Suppose that a random sample of size n is taken from a normal population with
mean µ and variance σ2.

Now each observation in this sample, say, X1, X2, X3… Xn, is a normally and
independently distributed random variable with mean µ and variance σ2

The sample mean:

has a normal distribution with mean:

and variance:
(For large N)

N–n (For small N)

N–1

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Theorem:

1.0 σ known:

2.0 σ unknown:

Use instead of σ standard deviation Ѕ of the sample.

EXAMPLE 1:

An electronics company manufactures resistors that have a mean resistance of 100 ohms
and a standard deviation of 10 ohms. The distribution of resistance is normal.
Find the probability that a random sample of n= 25 resistors will have an average
resistance less than 95 ohms.

Note that the sampling distribution of x‾ is normal, with mean µx‾ = 100 ohms and a
standard deviation of:

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 Therefore, the desired probability (shaded area) is shown in the figure
below:

Standardizing the point x‾ =95 in the Figure. We find that:

and therefore,

3.0 SAMPLING DISTRIBUTIONS OF DIFFERENCES & SUM:

For two independent populations,

Let the first population has mean µ1 and variance σ12 and the second population has mean µ2 and
variance σ22. Suppose that both populations are normally distributed. Then, we can say that the
sampling distribution of (x1‾ - x2‾) is normal with mean:

And variance

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Theorem 1: σ1, σ2 known

If we have two independent populations with means µ 1 and µ2 and variances σ12
and σ22 and if x1‾ and x2‾ are the sample means of two independent random samples
of sizes n1 and n2 from these populations, then the sampling distribution is:

Or

with condition n1, n2 ≥ 30

Theorem 2: σ1, σ2 unknown:

Use Ѕ1, Ѕ2 instead of σ1, σ2 for the samples.

and

with condition n1, n2 < 30

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EXAMPLE 2:

The effective life of a component used in an engine is a random variable with mean 5000 hours
and standard deviation 40 hours. The distribution of effective life is fairly close to a normal
distribution.
The engine manufacturer introduces an improvement into the manufacturing process for
this component that increases the mean life to 5050 hours and decreases the standard deviation to
30 hours. Suppose that a random sample of n1= 16 components is selected from the “old”
process and a random sample of n2=25 components is selected from the “improved” process.
What is the probability that the difference in the two sample means x2‾ - x1‾ is at least 25
hours? Assume that the old and improved processes can be regarded as independent populations.

the distribution of x1‾ is normal with mean µ1= 5000 hours and standard deviation

σ1/√n1 = 40/√16 = 10 hours,

and the distribution of x2‾ is normal with mean µ2= 5050 hours and standard deviation

σ2/√n2 = 30/√25 = 6 hours,

Now the distribution of x2‾ - x1‾ is normal with mean

µ2 - µ1 = 5050 – 5000 = 50 hours

and variance

σ22/n22 + σ12/n12 = 62 + 102 = 136 hours2.

This sampling distribution is shown in the Figure below:

The sampling distribution of in Example 2

The probability that x2‾ - x1‾ ≥ 25 hours is the shaded portion of the normal
distribution in this figure.

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So,

and we find that:

EXERCISES:

1. PVC pipe is manufactured with a mean diameter of 1.01 inch and a standard
deviation of 0.003 inch. Find the probability that a random sample of n = 9
sections of pipe will have a sample mean diameter greater than 1.009 inch and less
than 1.012 inch.

2. A synthetic fiber used in manufacturing carpet has tensile strength that is

normally distributed with mean 75.5 psi and standard deviation 3.5 psi. Find the
probability that a random sample of n= 6 fiber specimens will have sample mean
tensile strength that exceeds 75.75 psi.

3. A random sample of size n1= 16 is selected from a normal population with a

mean of 75 and a standard deviation of 8. A second random sample of size n2= 9 is
taken from another normal population with mean 70 and standard deviation 12. Let
x1‾ and x2‾ be the two sample means. Find

a) The probability that x1‾- x2‾ exceeds 4

a) (b) The probability that 3.5 ≤ x1‾- x2‾ ≤ 5.5

4. The elasticity of a polymer is affected by the concentration of a reactant. When

low concentration is used, the true mean elasticity is 55, and when high
concentration is used the mean elasticity is 60. The standard deviation of elasticity
is 4, regardless of concentration. If two random samples of size 16 are taken, find
the probability that x‾high- x‾low ≥ 2.

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