AP Statistics : AP Statistics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Statistics

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Example Questions

Example Question #2 : How To Find Z Scores For A Data Set

The z-score is also known as the standard score.

The average temperature for all the days preceding the last for the month of February was 55 degrees Farhenheit, with a standard deviation of 5 degrees. 

On the last day, the temperature was 73 degrees F. What is the z-score for the temperature on the last day?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the z-score, follow the formula

or

Example Question #3 : How To Find Z Scores For A Data Set

A population has a standard deviation of  and a mean of . One of the values in the population is .  What is the z score for that value?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A z score is unique to each value within a population.

To find a z score, subtract the mean of a population from the particular value in question, then divide the result by the population's standard deviation.

Example Question #1 : How To Find Z Scores For A Data Set

Natalie took her university placement examinations in Spanish and math. In Spanish, she scored 82; in math, she scored 86. The results of the Spanish exam had a mean of 72 and a standard deviation of 8. The results of the math exam had a mean of 68 and a standard deviation of 12. On which exam did Natalie do better, compared with the rest of her peers taking these placement exams?

Possible Answers:

The Spanish exam

The Math exam

She did equally well on both exams

None of the other answers, as z-scores cannot be calculated for this question

Correct answer:

The Math exam

Explanation:

We need to calculate Natalie's z-scores for both her Spanish and math exams. Calculating z-scores is as follows:

Her z-score for the Spanish exam is , which equals 1.25, while her z-score for the math exam is , which equals 1.50. Since both z-scores are positive, Natalie did above average on both tests, but since her z-score for the math exam is higher than her z-score for the Spanish exam, Natalie did better on her math exam when compared to the rest of her peers taking the exam.

Example Question #1 : How To Find Z Scores For A Data Set

The following data set represents Mr. Marigold's students' scores on the final. The standard deviation for this data set is 8.41. How many standard deviations are you away from the mean if you scored an 86? [find your z-score]


Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To calculate the z-score, first we need to find the mean of the data set. By adding together and dividing by 26, we get 81.15.

To calculate your z-score and discover how close your score is to the mean in terms of standard deviations, use this formula:

where x is your data point, 86, is the mean, 81.15, and is the standard deviation, which we are told is 8.41.

Example Question #4 : How To Find Z Scores For A Data Set

The following data set represents Mr. Marigold's students' scores on the final. The standard deviation for this data set is 8.41. How many standard deviations are you away from the mean if you got all the questions right? [find your z-score]


Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To calculate the z-score, first we need to find the mean of the data set. By adding together and dividing by 26, we get 81.15.

To calculate your z-score and discover how close your score is to the mean in terms of standard deviations, use this formula:

where x is your data point, 100, is the mean, 81.15, and is the standard deviation, which we are told is 8.41.

Example Question #4 : How To Find Z Scores For A Data Set

This year's harvest, the apples had a mean mass of  with a standard deviation of . You pick an apple from the harvest and find its mass to be .

What is the z-score of the apple you picked?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the z-score, we follow the formula

 where  is the given value,  is the mean, and  is the standard deviation.

For this problem we see that

    and 

Substituting for these values we see

Example Question #11 : Data Sets And Z Scores

The observed times (in minutes) it takes a swimmer to complete a race are normally distributed. The z-score for her swimming time this week is . Which one of the following statements is correct interpretation of this z-score?

Possible Answers:

This week her time was two standard deviations lower than her time last week. 

This week her time was two minutes lower than her best time ever. 

This week her time was two minutes lowere than her time last week.

This week her time was two minutes lower than her average time. 

This week her time was two standard deviations lower than her average time. 

Correct answer:

This week her time was two standard deviations lower than her average time. 

Explanation:

The z-score =  and a negative z-score indicates that the x-value is below the average. The value of the score represents the difference between the x-value and the mean in terms of the number of standard deviations. 

Example Question #251 : Ap Statistics

Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates the strongest relationship between variables?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Correlation coefficients range from 1 to -1.  The closer to either extreme, the stronger the relationship.  The closer to 0, the weaker the relationship. 

Example Question #2 : Bivariate Data

It is found that there is a correlation of exactly  between two variables. Which of the following is incorrect?

Possible Answers:

Correlation is measured on a scale of  to 

There is a strong association between the two variables.

There is enough evidence, with a correlation of , to assert that one variable causes the other

All of the answer choices are correct

The association between the two variables is positive

Correct answer:

There is enough evidence, with a correlation of , to assert that one variable causes the other

Explanation:

Under no circumstance will correlation ever equate to causation, regardless of how strong the correlation between two variables is. In this case, all other answer choices are correct. 

Example Question #1 : How To Find Correlation

In a medical school, it is found that there is a correlation of  between the amount of coffee consumed by students and the number of hours students sleep each night. Which of the following is true?

i. There is a positive association between the two variables.

ii. There is a strong correlation between the two variables.

iii. Coffee consumption in medical school students causes students to sleep less each night.

Possible Answers:

iii only 

i and ii

i, ii, and iii

i and iii

ii only

Correct answer:

ii only

Explanation:

Since the correlation is negative, there must be a negative association between the two variables (therefore statement i is incorrect). Statement ii is correct since a correlation of  to  on an absolute value scale of  to  is considered to be a strong correlation. Statement iii is incorrect since correlation does not mean causation. 

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