Question

explain what these confidence intervals mean in the context of the problem?

Answer 1

Carla conducted an experiment to determine if the there is a difference in mean body temperature for men and women. She found that the mean body temperature for men in the sample was 97.1 with a population standard deviation of 0.51 and the mean body temperature for women in the sample was 98.2 with a population standard deviation of 0.57.

Assuming the population of body temperatures for men and women is normally distributed, calculate the 95% confidence interval and the margin of error for the mean body temperature for both men and women. Using complete sentences, explain what these confidence intervals mean in the context of the problem.

Answer 2

Were you able to find the intervals?

A confidence interval is the range of values that we have some level of confidence that the true value actually is found.

So, a 95% confidence interval for a body temperature would mean that we were 95% confident that the true mean body temperature is in that range. That is, if we took 100 measurements (did this experiment 100 times), we'd expect to find that about 95 of them fall within the range, and 5 fall outside the range. (Of course, we'd refine our confidence interval if we were to do this, as we'd have more data).

Does that make sense?

Answer 3

I know that, but before you can even calculate the confidence interval you need to know the margin of error and without the sample size I can't calculate it.

Answer 4

Hmm, one moment. I can't remember the equation. I usually just use z-scores

Answer 5

@kaylakitty You are correct. You need to know the sample sizes for men and for women before you can calculate the confidence intervals.

Answer 6

My mistake :)

Thanks, kropot

Answer 7

You're welcome :)