Question

A researcher believes that maximum security inmates have a more lengthy arrest record than minimum security inmates. She collects a sample of 25 inmates from the minimum security prison and 32 inmates from the maximum security prison and computes the following data from the samples:

                                                Mean                           Standard Deviation

Minimum:                   5.8                                         2.7

Maximum:                   6.2                                         1.9

1. Calculate the 95% CI for each group. Based on these data, is the researcher correct that maximum security inmates have a longer arrest records than minimum security inmates? Why or why not?

2. Assume the data in question #1 were population parameters (m and s) and not sample statistics. Suppose the researcher draws at random one minimum security inmate and one maximum security inmate. Both inmates report having 7 prior arrests. Which inmate is more dissimilar from the population mean from which they were drawn? Why?

Answer 1