2. The VCR ( videocassette recorder ) is a common fixture in most American homes

Question

2. The VCR ( videocassette recorder ) is a common fixture in most American homes. You take a simple random sample of households and get these numbers--each one represents a count of VCRs from one house. ( Note: These data are hypothetical. ) 3 1 0 1 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 0 2 3 1 0 1 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 0 2 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 0 2 3 1 0 1 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 0 2 3 1 0 1 1 Based on these data and the fact that they represent a simple random sample, how many VCRs would you say most American households have? Which measure of center did you use, and why?

Explanation / Answer

Conveniently, there are 100 data items. I marked off a frequency chart, and the results are: zero, 20%; one, 48%; two, 24%; and three, 8%. The most frequent, by far, is one VCR. So that's the answer. 48% is not a majority, but it's a very large plurality. For this type of question, we use the to get the answer. Many more people have one VCR than either zero or two. Although it doesn't matter, the median is also one, and the mean is 1.2 As for me, I'm in the zero category. A VCR or a DVD player wouldn't do me much good unless I bought a TV first. I keep getting offers from Comcast, Netflix, etc., about the great deals they offer. Sometimes I get phone calls too. I always explain that none of that stuff does me any good, because there's no TV set in this house. That usually shuts 'em up.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse 2
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.