In: Statistics and Probability
Annual starting salaries for college graduates with degrees in business administration are generally expected to be between $10,000 and $50,000 . Assume that a 95% confidence interval estimate of the population mean annual starting salary is desired.
a. What is the planning value for the population standard deviation?
= ________
b. How large a sample should be taken if the desired margin of error is $400? Round your answer to next whole number.
_________
Solution :
Given that,
a) Population standard deviation = = high value - low value / 4 ( range rule thumb )
Population standard deviation = = 50000 - 10000 / 4 = 10000
b) Margin of error = E = 400
At 95% confidence level the z is,
= 1 - 95%
= 1 - 0.95 = 0.05
/2 = 0.025
Z/2 = Z0.025 = 1.96
sample size = n = [Z/2* / E] 2
n = [1.96 * 10000 / 400]2
Sample size = n = 2401