In: Statistics and Probability
Suppose you want to estimate the proportion of voters who will vote for Mary Bills, a candidate for state senator. How many should you sample in order to estimate p with a margin of error of 2% and 90% confidence?
Solution,
Given that,
= 1 - = 0.5
margin of error = E =0.02
At 90% confidence level
= 1 - 90%
= 1 - 0.90 =0.10
/2
= 0.05
Z/2
= Z0.05 = 1.645
sample size = n = (Z / 2 / E )2 * * (1 - )
= (1.645 / 0.02 )2 * 0.5 *0.5
= 1691.26
sample size = n = 1692