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Year 10
Foundation

Problem solving with sampling

I can use my understanding of sampling to solve problems.

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New
New
Year 10
Foundation

Problem solving with sampling

I can use my understanding of sampling to solve problems.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Samples can be evaluated to determine the validity of any conclusions.
  2. A suitable sample size can vary, depending on the statistical enquiry.
  3. A biased sample can still be useful.

Keywords

  • Sample - A sample is a subset of the population.

  • Bias - Bias can be present in any sample collected from a population and may affect the results of a statistical investigation.

Common misconception

Biased samples are always bad.

A biased sample is sometimes useful if the sample is proportional to the population and/or it focuses on a section of the population relevant to the investigation.

Ask pupils to critique adverts and to check the fine print to discover the data that was collected and analysed to reach the claims of the company. How representative do they think the samples taken are?
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A sample is a of the population.
Correct Answer: subset
Q2.
Select all the biased questions.
How many films did you watch last month?
Correct answer: Intelligent people watch films. Do you watch films?
Do you not agree that you are a person who doesn't not watch films?
Correct answer: Don't you think our cinema is amazing?
Correct answer: Art is boring and awful. Do you like art?
Q3.
Izzy writes the question: "How many books do you own?". What should Izzy consider when making response boxes for this question?
Correct answer: Have a none or 0 option.
Correct answer: Have no overlaps between options.
Have no biased options.
Correct answer: Have a "more than" option.
Have no leading options.
Q4.
A food delivery company asks: In your opinion, how would you rate the speed of your delivery by our rivals?: [Satisfactory, Bad, Very bad]. What is wrong with their question?
Correct answer: The responses are subjective.
The question has double negatives.
Correct answer: The responses are biased towards negative answers.
The responses are overlapping.
Q5.
Select all the questions that are considered to be asking for personal information.
Correct answer: What is your religion?
How many books did you read last month?
Correct answer: What is your weight?
Correct answer: What is your gender?
What type of books do you like?
Q6.
A supermarket manager wants to find out how satisfied customers with the store. He asks customers: "Do you not find it easy to not not find what you need in this store?". Criticise their question.
The question is leading people to answer 'yes'.
The question is biased.
Correct answer: The question contains double negatives.
The question is asking for personal information.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Bias can be present in any collected from a population and may affect the results of a statistical investigation. 
Correct Answer: sample
Q2.
Select all the open questions.
Correct answer: What is your favourite sport?
Correct answer: How often do you go swimming?
Did you vote in the last school council elections?
Don't you agree maths is the best subject?
Correct answer: How do you travel to school?
Q3.
A food delivery company designs this questionnaire. How often do you get food delivered? [once or twice /often / all the time] How could their question be improved?
Correct answer: Unambiguous / clear options
Correct answer: “Never” option
Correct answer: A time frame
An option for types of takeaway
Q4.
The owner of a café in Oakfield wants to see if they can expand to the town of Rowanwood. They ask 15 of their neighbours in Oakfield if they would use a new café. How can they improve their sample?
Give questionnaire to people in Oakfield café
Correct answer: Collect data from people in the Rowanwood
Correct answer: Take a larger sample
Ask more neighbours
Q5.
The owner of a café wants to find out what their customers think of their new coffee brand. What type of sample should they take?
A non-biased random sample
Correct answer: A biased random sample
Q6.
The owner of a café in Oakfield wants to find out what their customers think of their new coffee brand. Match each type of sample to a suitable example.
Correct Answer:random sample,50 people selected at random from the population of Oakfield

50 people selected at random from the population of Oakfield

Correct Answer:biased sample,50 people selected at random from the café's customers

50 people selected at random from the café's customers

Correct Answer:good biased sample ,50 people who drink coffee from the café selected at random

50 people who drink coffee from the café selected at random

Correct Answer:bad biased sample,50 people who drink tea at the café selected at random

50 people who drink tea at the café selected at random