Question

An internal auditor wants to select a statistically representative sample from a population of 475 inventory control sheets. Each sheet lists the description, physical count, bar code, and unit cost. Each sheet contains 50 inventory items. The auditor uses a random number table to construct the sample; the first two columns are listed below. The randomly chosen starting point is 14326; the sample's first item is found on page 143, line 26. (The route used by the auditor is down Column A to the top of Column B.)

Column A	Column B
75233	6852
14326	42904
76562	64854
28123	4978
64227	33150
80938	4301
22539	41240
29452	69521

Where is the fifth item in the sample located?

Answer 1

Solution:

We have total 475 sheets and each sheet has 50 inventory items. The starting point is 14326 and then we have to proceed down to column A to the top of column B. First sample's item found on page, 143 and line 26. It means we have assigned first three digits to the page number and last two digits to the line number.

Hence, the selected random numbers will be as follows:

14326, 76562, 28123, 64227, 80938, 22539, 29452, 69521, 41240, 4301

The first sample's item found on page 143, line 26.

The second sample's item found on page 765 , line 62, but we have only 475 pages and 50 lines therefore it is not possible to include this as an second sample's item.

The second sample's item found on page 281, line 23.

The third sample's item found on page 642 , line 27, but we have only 475 pages and 50 lines therefore it is not possible to include this as an third sample's item.

The third sample's item found on page 809 , line 38, but we have only 475 pages and 50 lines therefore again it is not possible to include this as an third sample's item.

The third sample's found on page 225, line 39.

The fourth sample's item found on page 294, line 52, but we have only 475 pages and 52 lines therefore it is not possible to include this as an fourth sample's item.

The fourth sample's item found on page 695, line 21, but we have only 475 pages and 52 lines therefore again it is not possible to include this as an fourth sample's item.

The fourth sample's item found on page 412, line 40.

The next random number is 4301, which has only 4 digits, so we shall place a zero in the left most of the random number. Now our random number become 04301.

Hence, the fifth sample's item is found on page 43, line 1.

The fifth item in the sample is located on page 43 line 1.