At your summer job with a research company, you must get a random sample of people from your town to answer a question about spending habits. Which of the following methods is most likely to be random?

A: You survey customers at the local shopping mall.

B:You survey people chosen randomly from the local phonebook.

C:You survey several of your friends.

D:You survey customers at a popular restaurant.

Question

At your summer job with a research company, you must get a random sample of people from your town to answer a question about spending habits. Which of the following methods is most likely to be random?

A: You survey customers at the local shopping mall.

B:You survey people chosen randomly from the local phonebook.

C:You survey several of your friends.

D:You survey customers at a popular restaurant.

ddcamp · Answer

A: Customers at a shopping mall usually are younger, more into pop culture, etc.
B: A random sample from a phone book doesn't discriminate based on likes and dislikes.
C: Your friends probably have similar views as yourself and each other.
D: Customers at a popular restaurant would be somewhat widespread, but only the sort of people who could afford a lunch out etc. would be there.

anonymous · Answer

oh, ok, so which one would it be, i was thinking it would maybe be b :p your thoughts?

anonymous · Answer

b. Because, it's a more randomized example.