Question

State whether a cumulative frequency, relative frequency, relative percent, cumulative relative frequency, or cumulative percent is most appropriate for describing the following situations. For cumulative distributions, indicate whether these should be summarized from the top down or from bottom up.

a. The number of symptoms of stress (ranging between 0 and 12 symptoms) experienced by 180 war veterans.

b. The number of calories in school lunches in a sample of 32 local middle schools.

c. The number of hours of sleep (per night) in a sample of 60 patients being treated for depression.

d. The marital status (single, married, divorced) in a sample of 96 individuals reporting high levels of life satisfaction.

e. The number of traffic violatioins ticked during a 30 month period in one of four high-crime communities.

Answer 1

(a) Relative Percent is most appropriate for describing the number of symptoms of stess (ranging between 0 and 12 symptoms) experienced by 180 war veterans.

REASON: The researcher is interested not in the exact symptome of stress, but on the percentage of stress level of each war veteran for further analysis on this aspect for possible methods to reduce the stress levels.

(b) Cumulative percent - Bottom up is most appropriate for describing the number of calories in school lunches in a sample of 32 local middle scholls.

REASON: From the Cumulative percent - Bottom up graph of the number of calories of 32 local schools, the researcher can easily identify in which schools the calories are below the minimum required so that appropriate action can be initiated in improving the food habits amoung the children of those schools.

(c) Cumulative frequency - bottom up is most appropriate for describing the number of hours of sleep (per night) in a sample of 60 patients being treated for depression.

REASON: Since the lack oof sufficient hours of sleep during night is a major factor contributing to depression, the research can identify patient with sleep less than the minimum required so that those patients can be treated with more intensity.

(d) Relative frequency is most appropriate for describing the marital status (single, married, divorced) in a sample of 96 individuals reporting high levels of life satisfation.

REASON: Relative frequency of these 3 categories of marital status will enable the researcher in pin-poiting the factors among the 3 categories to bring out life satisfaction.

(e_ Cumulative Percent - Top Down is most appropriate for describing the number of traffic violations ticked during a 30 month period in one of four high - crime communities.

REASON: With the above graph, the researcher can easity detect which high - crime community is to be conctrated for avoiding traffic violations in future.