sample mean and sample variance

[Chapies]

hello,

I have this question in a test: "Should we need to be concerned regarding the characteristics of the probability distribution in a situation where we have 50 data points with sample mean 6.25 and sample variance 11?"

I know what sample mean and sample variance are and how they are calculated BUT I don`t even know how to start tackling this question. I am not after being spoon fed with the exact answer but any tip, article or video that can help me interpret the above question would be much appreciated.

thanks

 

[Dr.Peterson]

In order to interpret the question, we need to know the context: For what purpose are you considering these characteristics? What is the "situation"? What are you expecting to use the data for?

Very likely you have been given a "rule of thumb" regarding whether you need to know that the population is normally distributed, or something like that ... and the number of data points is relevant.

 

[Chapies]

In order to interpret the question, we need to know the context: For what purpose are you considering these characteristics? What is the "situation"? What are you expecting to use the data for?

Very likely you have been given a "rule of thumb" regarding whether you need to know that the population is normally distributed, or something like that ... and the number of data points is relevant.

Hello. This is the question . I don’t have any other details and no context and that’s why I don’t even understand how to look at it. The subject is about statistics/big data and Cybersecurity. Most probably is a rule of thumb. I’ll search more in the slides and workshops but don’t remember and didn’t see a rule of thumb that i can apply here. Thanks

 

[Dr.Peterson]

Hello. This is the question . I don’t have any other details and no context and that’s why I don’t even understand how to look at it. The subject is about statistics/big data and Cybersecurity. Most probably is a rule of thumb. I’ll search more in the slides and workshops but don’t remember and didn’t see a rule of thumb that i can apply here. Thanks

There is always a context! A test is about something, and either you have been taught something, or are being evaluated for something. Moreover, the question itself presupposes some context, as I said.

But you're saying this isn't a general statistics class, and you have not been taught anything specific such as hypothesis testing? You haven't seen anything like this in preparation for the test? (See Effects of Sample Size, and table 9.4 just above it.) That material is my best guess as to what you are expected to know.

 

[Chapies]

Hello,it is just a quiz that concludes two modules and questions at the end we have to answer, from a variety of topics related to statistics. Yes, we did study about hypothesis testing, null and alternative hypothesis and yes, I did study about topics mentioned in the article provided. If this is the best guess of what is expected to know, I`ll look more into the mentioned topic and try to tackle the question. Thanks for the tips

 

[Chapies]

I do not know what happened with the formatting in my last post. I wanted to say that this is a quiz that concludes two modules in the course and yes, we did study about Ho and Ha and yes, we did study about concepts in the article you mentioned. I will look more into it. Thanks for the tips

 

[Dr.Peterson]

Hello, it's just a quiz that concludes two modules and questions at the end we have to answer, from a variety of topics related to statistics. Yes, we did study about hypothesis testing, null and alternative hypothesis and yes, I did study about topics mentioned in the article provided. If this is the best guess of what is expected to know, I'll look more into the mentioned topic and try to tackle the question. Thanks for the tips.

You seem to have used an accent character instead of an apostrophe, which somehow messed up the text. I've fixed it here to make it readable.

You should specifically look in your textbook or other materials for the rule I pointed out, or anything like it. Presumably they are quizzing you on something they taught, or at least referred you to.