Superlesson
Project 11-2

Advanced Algebra

Chapter 11 Answers Advanced Techniques for Chance and Data

Sampling methods have improved greatly since the 1936 Presidential race, when polls predicted that Alf Landon would defeat Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the 1948 race, when Thomas Dewey was forecasted as the winner over Harry Truman.

Part A, Biased and Unbiased Sampling

1. Use the Internet to answer the following questions.

a. Use the Gallup Organization Web site to make a histogram displaying the results of the Gallup Presidential Election Poll for October 30-31, 1996.

b. Assuming that the sample used for the poll was representative, find the probability that a randomly chosen person was undecided or supported the Perot-Choate ticket on October 30-31, 1996.

c. Compare the results of the 1996 election predicted by the final Gallup poll with the actual results at the Popular Vote Summary Web site. Was the poll accurate?

d. Read about the methodology used by the Gallup Organization in its presidential polling at the Gallup Organization Methodology Web site. Give two examples of how the pollsters attempted to eliminate bias from their sample.

Part C, Making Connections

2. Use the following Web sites to answer these questions.

a. Make a histogram of the heights of U.S. Presidents, grouping data in 1-in. intervals at the Lists of U.S. Presidents Web site.

b. Do you think a normal distribution is a reasonable model for this data? Why or why not?

c. Choose a set of Presidential data that in raw form appear to be normally distributed. Make a histogram of the data and tell whether it confirms or refutes your conjecture.

d. Give an example of a set of Presidential data that are clearly not normally distributed. Explain why they are not.