Download Unit 5 Statistics Project - Your Choice Test

Unit 5 – Statistics Project
Choose one of the following projects to complete by Friday, December 6th. You may earn 5 bonus points by turning the
project by 2:30 pm on Wednesday, December 4 th.
Option 1: Analyze your school!
Part 1 - Research
Study a group of 50 students from your school to determine the school views for a particular topic. You may choose one of the
questions below or create your own unbiased question.
 On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard would you say you work towards success in math class?
 On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you like attending Rocky River High School?
 On average, how many hours a week do you study at home for school?
 On average, how many hours do you sleep a night during the school year?
Part 2 – Concepts/Math
Answer the following:
a) Describe your sampling method. What kind of method was it? Why did you choose this method?
b) Calculate the mean, standard deviation, and draw and label a normal curve out to ±3 standard deviations for your data.
c) Determine what values SHOULD 68%, 95%, and 99.7% of your data fall between, and then determine how many actually fall
between those values. Based on these numbers, are your data normally distributed?
Part 3 - Analysis
Write EITHER a one-page letter to Mr. Chiles, a one-page letter to the editor of The Charlotte Observer, or a one-page college
application essay explaining how your interpretation of the class data has shaped your education at Rocky River High School and how
you can use it to improve the school and your education.
Option 2: Research a study!
Part 1 - Research
Using a Google search or by researching a topic you are already interested in, find and cite the source of a study incorporating a
sample, population, and data values. If you cannot find specific data values (specifically standard deviation and mean), do NOT use
that study or article! In the product, include a one-paragraph description of your study.
Part 2 – Concepts/Math
a) What represents the sample and population of your study?
b) What type of study is it? Explain.
c) What type of sampling method was used? Explain.
d) Use the mean and standard deviation to draw and label a normal curve out to ±3 standard deviations for your data.
e) Determine what values SHOULD 68%, 95%, and 99.7% of your data fall between. Based on these numbers and the results of the
study, are the data normally distributed? Explain.
Part 3 – Analysis
Write a one-page summary of your study. Make sure to include how the sample, population, and sampling methods could have
affected the results and how the mean and standard deviation specifically describe the results, as well as any other interesting aspects
of the study you discovered.
Option 3: Analyzing Political Data
Part 1 – Research
The Web site Real Clear Politics analyzes poll data in upcoming elections to predict the winners. On October 24, 2008, just before the
presidential election, the site analyzed 32 polls and computed the average. Here was their data:
“Barack Obama's share of the vote in the RCP average is 50.3%. His standard deviation is 2.7. For McCain, whose average is
42.5%, the standard deviation is 2.3.”
For your research component, research (citing the source) the final vote percentages in the 2008 election for Barack Obama and John
McCain. How many standard deviations from the mean was the final vote for each?
Part 2 – Concepts/Math
a) What represents the sample and population of each poll in the study?
b) What types of studies are these polls? Explain.
c) Use the mean and standard deviation provided to draw and label a normal curve out to ±3 standard deviations for each candidate’s
poll numbers.
d) ) Determine what values SHOULD 68%, 95%, and 99.7% of your data fall between. Based on these numbers and the results of
your research, are the data normally distributed? Explain.
e) What does it mean in the context of the polls that Obama’s standard deviation was larger than McCain’s?
Part 3 – Writing
As campaign manager for either Barack Obama or John McCain, you need to energize your volunteers after these poll numbers are
released. Citing specific examples that use the mean AND standard deviation, write a one-page speech, record a video
message/commercial, or create a Powerpoint that you can present to your workers explaining the poll numbers in the best light
possible.