Question: An argument whose conclusion rests on the definition of a word used in the premises is:

Answer: A deductive argument.

Question: In the expression “Barack Obama was elected president because he capitalized on a bad economy,” the statement “He capitalized on a bad economy” is called the:

Answer Options:
a. Premise.
b. Consequent.
c. Explanans.
d. Conclusion.
e. Explanandum.

Answer: c. Explanans.

Question: In the expression “If North Korea has nuclear weapons, then it poses a threat to world peace,” the statement “It poses a threat to world peace” is called the:

Answer Options:
a. Conditional.
b. Consequent.
c. Antecedent.
d. Explanandum.
e. Conclusion.

Answer: b. Consequent.

Question: Which of the following is a necessary condition for going for a swim?

Answer Options:
a. Treading water.
b. Doing the breaststroke.
c. Holding your breath.
d. Getting into the water.
e. Doing the backstroke.

Answer: d. Getting into the water.

Question: Which of the following is a sufficient condition for making ice from fresh water?

Answer Options:
a. Putting the water outside in the cold.
b. Putting the water into the freezer.
c. Pouring the water into an ice cube tray.
d. Lowering the temperature of the water below 40° F.
e. Lowering the temperature of the water to 20° F.

Answer: b. Putting the water into the freezer.

Question: If a deductive argument has false premises and a false conclusion, then we know:

Answer Options:
a. Nothing as such about the argument’s validity.
b. The argument is invalid.
c. The argument is valid.
d. The argument is weak.
e. The argument is uncogent.

Answer: a. Nothing as such about the argument’s validity.

Problem 1 (Part A):
Question:485
All spies are covert operators, so all covert operators are risk takers, for all spies are risk takers.
Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument?

Answer Options:
a. All C are R. All S are R. All S are C.
b. If S then R. If S then C. If C then R.
c. All S are C. All C are R. All S are R.
d. All S are C. All C are R. All S are R.
e. All C are S. All R are S. All C are R.

Correct Answer:
c. All S are C. All C are R. All S are R.

Problem 1 (Part B):
Question:486
Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid?

Answer Options:
a. C = cats, S = dogs, R = animals.
b. S = fish, R = mammals, C = animals.
c. S = dogs, C = mammals, R = animals.
d. R = dogs, C = cats, S = animals.
e. S = cats, C = animals, R = mammals.

Correct Answer:
Part A: c
Part B: e

Problem 2 (Part A):
Question:487
If deficits increase then the economy will stagnate. Thus, if deficits increase, then interest rates will rise, because if interest rates rise, then the economy will stagnate.
Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument?

Answer Options:
a. If D then E. If D then I. If E then I.
b. If D then E. If I then E. If D then E.
c. If D then I. If D then E. If E then I.
d. If D then E. If E then I. If D then I.
e. If D then E. If I then E. If D then I.

Correct Answer:
e. If D then E. If I then E. If D then I.

Problem 2 (Part B):
Question:488
Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid?

Answer Options:
a. D = Tom Hanks is a man, E = Tom Hanks is a human, I = Tom Hanks is a woman.
b. D = dogs, I = mammals, E = animals.
c. D = Bob is a physician, E = Bob is a professional, I = Bob is a doctor.
d. D = dogs, E = animals, I = cats.
e. D = Halle Berry is an actor, E = Halle Berry is a woman, I = Halle Berry is a human.

Correct Answer:
Part A: e
Part B: a

Question: Decide whether the statement below makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain.
In my experimental study, I used a sample that was larger than the population.

Answer Options:
a. Yes, the statement makes sense. A sample can be as large as desired.
b. No, the statement does not make sense. A sample is a subset of the population and cannot be larger than the population.
c. Yes, the statement makes sense. A sample is always larger than the population.
d. No, the statement does not make sense. The sample size should always equal the population.

Answer: b. No, the statement does not make sense. A sample is a subset of the population and cannot be larger than the population.

Question: Decide whether the following statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain your reasoning.
The pre-election poll found that a candidate would get 57% of the vote, with a margin of error of 2%, but he still lost the election.

Answer Options:
a. The statement makes sense. We can only be 95% confident that the actual percentage of people who vote for this candidate is between 55% and 59%. There is still a chance that the actual percentage is less than 50%.
b. The statement makes sense. The actual percentage of people who vote for this candidate is guaranteed to be between 51% and 63%.
c. The statement does not make sense. The actual percentage of people who vote for this candidate is guaranteed to be between 55% and 59%.
d. The statement does not make sense. We are 95% confident that the actual percentage of people who vote for this candidate is between 55% and 59%. It is highly unlikely that the actual percentage is less than 50%.

Answer: a. The statement makes sense. We can only be 95% confident that the actual percentage of people who vote for this candidate is between 55% and 59%. There is still a chance that the actual percentage is less than 50%.

Question: In order to gauge public opinion about how to handle Iran’s growing nuclear program, a research group surveyed 992 American men by telephone and asked them to rate the threat Iran’s nuclear program poses to the world on a scale of 1 to 10. Describe the population, sample, population parameters, and sample statistics.

Identify the population in the given problem. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
a. The 992 American men surveyed by telephone
b. Some of the 992 American men surveyed by telephone
c. All American men
d. Half of all American men

Answer: c. All American men

Question: Identify the sample for the given problem. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
a. The 992 American men surveyed by telephone
b. All American men
c. Half of all American men
d. Some of the 992 American men surveyed by telephone

Answer: a. The 992 American men surveyed by telephone

Question: Identify the population parameter in the given study. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
a. The total number of all American men
b. The mean threat rating of all American men on Iran’s nuclear program
c. The mean threat rating on Iran’s nuclear program of the 992 American men surveyed by telephone
d. The number of American men selected

Answer: b. The mean threat rating of all American men on Iran’s nuclear program

Question: Identify the sample statistic. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
a. The total number of American men
b. The mean threat rating of all American men on Iran’s nuclear program
c. The mean threat rating on Iran’s nuclear program of the 992 American men surveyed by telephone
d. The number of American men selected

Answer: c. The mean threat rating on Iran’s nuclear program of the 992 American men surveyed by telephone

Question: In a poll, 1,004 women in a country were asked whether they favor or oppose the use of “federal tax dollars to fund medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos.” Among the respondents, 47% said that they were in favor. Describe the statistical study.

What is the population in the given problem? Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. All women in the country
B. 47% of the 1,004 women selected
C. 47% of all women in the country
D. The 1,004 women selected

Answer: A. All women in the country

Identify the sample for the given problem. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. 47% of all women in the country
B. The 1,004 women selected
C. All women in the country
D. 47% of the 1,004 women selected

Correct Answer:
B. The 1,004 women selected

What is the population parameter in the given study? Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The percentage of all women in the country who say that they are in favor
B. The total number of all women in the country
C. The percentage of the 1,004 women selected who say that they are in favor
D. The number of women selected

Correct Answer:
A. The percentage of all women in the country who say that they are in favor

Identify the sample statistic. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. 47%
B. The total number of all women in the country
C. 1,004
D. 53%

Correct Answer:
A. 47%

Question: A researcher wants to determine the average given below. Describe how the researcher should apply the five basic steps in a statistical study. (Assume that all the people in the poll answered truthfully.)

The average number of college students per college that study all night before an exam.

Determine how to apply the first basic step in a statistical study in this situation. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The population is all colleges. The researcher wants to estimate the average number of college students per college that do not study all night before an exam.
B. The population is all college students that study all night before an exam. The researcher wants to estimate the average number of college students per college that study all night before an exam.
C. The population is all colleges. The researcher wants to estimate the average number of college students per college that study all night before an exam.
D. The population is all college students that study all night before an exam. The researcher wants to estimate the average number of college students per college that do not study all night before an exam.

Answer: C. The population is all colleges. The researcher wants to estimate the average number of college students per college that study all night before an exam.

Question: Determine how to apply the second basic step in a statistical study in this situation. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The researcher should only gather raw data from college students that study all night before an exam.
B. The researcher should only gather raw data from college students that do not study.
C. The researcher should gather data about study habits from the largest sample of college students about whom the researcher can gather data.
D. The researcher should gather raw data from all college students.

Answer: C. The researcher should gather data about study habits from the largest sample of college students about whom the researcher can gather data.

Question: Determine how to apply the third basic step in a statistical study in this situation. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The sample statistic of interest is the average number of college students per college that study all night before an exam.
B. The sample statistic of interest is the percentage of college students that do not study all night before an exam.
C. The sample statistic of interest is the percentage of college students that study all night before an exam.
D. The sample statistic of interest is the average number of college students per college that do not study all night before an exam.

Answer: A. The sample statistic of interest is the average number of college students per college that study all night before an exam.

Question: Determine how to apply the fourth basic step in a statistical study in this situation. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. If the percentage of college students that study all night before an exam in the sample is greater than 50%, then the researcher can be confident that all college students study all night before an exam.
B. If the researcher followed correct procedures, he or she can be confident that the sample statistic is equal to the average number of college students that study all night before an exam.
C. The researcher should use the sample statistic as an estimate for the population value of the average number of college students that study all night before an exam and then use the methods of statistics to determine how good that estimate is.
D. The sample statistic provides no useful information to the researcher in this situation.

Answer: C. The researcher should use the sample statistic as an estimate for the population value of the average number of college students that study all night before an exam and then use the methods of statistics to determine how good that estimate is.

Question: Determine how to apply the fifth basic step in a statistical study in this situation. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The researcher cannot draw any conclusions based on the value of the sample statistic.
B. The researcher knows that the sample statistic is equal to the population parameter, so he or she may draw conclusions with complete confidence.

Answer: A. The researcher cannot draw any conclusions based on the value of the sample statistic.

Question: A researcher wants to determine the average given below. Describe how the researcher should apply the five basic steps in a statistical study. (Assume that all the people in the poll answered truthfully.)

The average time to failure of batteries in a particular model of digital watch.

Answer Options:
Step 1:
A. The population is all digital watches of this model whose batteries last longer than average.
B. The population is all digital watches not of this model.
C. The population is all digital watches of this model whose batteries do not last longer than average.
D. The population is all digital watches of this model.

Answer: D. The population is all digital watches of this model.

Question: To determine her blood sugar level, Keri divides up her day into three parts: morning, afternoon, and evening. She then measures her blood sugar level at 2 randomly selected times during each part of the day.

What type of sampling is used?

Answer Options:
A. Systematic sampling
B. Convenience sampling
C. Simple random sampling
D. Stratified sampling

Answer: D. Stratified sampling

Question: Consider the statistical study below and then a. identify the population and the population parameter of interest, b. describe the sample and sample statistic for the study, and c. identify the type of study.

106 people with a household larger than five people were given cognitive tests. It was discovered that those participants who were given a suggestion their household size might affect their performance on the test actually did worse on the test.

a. Identify the population and the population parameter of interest. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The population is all people with households larger than five people; population parameters are test scores for the 106 people studied, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.
B. The population is the 106 people studied; population parameters are test scores for all people, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.
C. The population is all people with households larger than five people; population parameters are test scores for all people, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.
D. The population is the 106 people studied; population parameters are test scores for the 106 people studied, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.

Answer: C. The population is all people with households larger than five people; population parameters are test scores for all people, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.

b. Describe the sample and sample statistic for the study. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. The sample is the 106 people studied; the sample statistic is the test scores for all people, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.
B. The sample is the 106 people studied; the sample statistic is the test scores for the 106 people studied, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.
C. The sample is all people with households larger than five people; the sample statistic is the test scores for all people, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.
D. The sample is all people with households larger than five people; the sample statistic is the test scores for the 106 people studied, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.

Correct Answer:
B. The sample is the 106 people studied; the sample statistic is the test scores for the 106 people studied, categorized by whether or not each individual was given a suggestion.

c. Identify the type of study. Choose the correct answer below.

Answer Options:
A. Random sample
B. Observation
C. Single blind
D. Experiment

Correct Answer:
D. Experiment