Workbook on Module 3: Sampling & Sampling
Distribution
Dr. Avipsita Chatterjee
29th August 2025
Two Marks Questions
1. Distinguish between a population and a sample.
C
2. Define simple random sampling.
3. Distinguish between simple random sampling with replacement and simple random
sampling without replacement from a finite population.
4. State the Central Limit Theorem.
5. The mean (µ) of a certain normal distribution having S.D. σ is equal to the S.E. of the
AV
mean of the samples of size 25 drawn from the distribution. If µ = kσ, then find the
value of k.
6. Find the standard error of the sampling distribution of the sample mean with sample
size 400 drawn from a normal population having s.d. 3.1.
7. The s.d. of the marks obtained in Mathematics by 112 boys is found to be 13.2. Find
the S.E. of the sampling distribution of sample means for a random sample of size 10
taken with replacement (SRSWR).
8. Samples of weights of 200 persons each are drawn from a normal population of the
weight of persons with s.d. 10. Find the mean of the sample variance.
9. The mean weight of 500 guinea pigs is 5.02 gm and their s.d. is 0.30. Samples of 100
guinea pigs are drawn. Find the s.d. of the sample mean.
10. From a population of large number of men with standard deviation 5, a sample is
drawn and the S.E. is found to be 0.5. Find out the size of the sample.
11. If a random sample of size 5 is drawn from a finite population of size 41 units without
replacement, find the standard error of the sample mean if the population s.d. is 10.
12. A population consists of 5 numbers {2, 3, 6, 8, 11}. Consider all possible samples of size
two that can be drawn with replacement from this population. Calculate the S.E. of
sample means.
1
Five Marks Questions
1. The safety limit of a crane is known to be 32 tons. The mean weight and the standard
deviation of a large number of iron rods are 0.3 ton and 0.2 ton respectively. 100 rods
are lifted at a time. Find the probability of an accident. [Given: Area of the standard
normal curve to the right of the ordinate at z = 1 is 0.1587]
2. It has been found that 2% of the tools produced by a certain machine are defective.
What is the probability that in a shipment of 400 such tools, 3% or more will be
defective? (Probability that the normal variate z lies between 0 and 1.43 is 0.4236)
3. The mean of a certain normal distribution is equal to the standard error of the mean
of samples of size 25 from the distribution. Find the probability that the mean of a
sample of size 49 from the distribution will be negative.
4. For a population of six units, the value of a characteristic x are given as follows
C {3, 9, 6, 5, 7, 10}. Consider all possible samples of size two from the above popula-
tion and show that the mean of the sample means is exactly equal to the population
mean.
5. A random sample of size 36 is taken from a finite population of size 1500 having mean
µ = 22.40 and S.D. σ = 0.048. Find the mean and standard deviation of the sampling
distribution of sample means if the sampling is done (i) with replacement, (ii) without
replacement.
AV
6. Assume that the age of 2000 students of a college are normally distributed with mean
20 years and standard deviation 4 years. 60 samples consisting of 25 students each
are obtained. In how many of samples would you expect to find the mean between 19
years and 21 years.
7. Samples of weights of 200 students each are drawn from a normal population of the
weights of the students with s.d. 10 pounds. Variance in each sample are computed.
Find the mean and standard deviation of the sampling distribution of sample variance.
8. Random samples of size 3 are drawn from the population {7, 5, 3, 1} without replace-
ment. Find the mean and variance of the sampling distribution of sample means.
Hence find the S.E. of the sample mean.
9. Assume the heights of 3000 male students of a university are normally distributed with
mean 68 inches and standard deviation 3 inches. 80 samples consisting of 25 students
each are drawn. In how many samples would you expect to find the mean between
66.8 and 68.3 inches? [Given the area under standard normal curve between z = −2
and z = 0 is 0.4772 and between z = 0 and z = 0.5 is 0.1915]
10. A random sample of size 25 is taken from a N (µ, σ 2 ) with µ = 30 and σ = 4. Would
the probability that the sample mean would lie between 25 and 35 be greater than
0.99?
2
11. A normal population has a mean 0.1 and a standard deviation 2.1. Find the probability
that the mean of a sample of size 900 will be negative. [Given P (|Z| < 1.43) = 0.847]
12. The random variable X̄ is normally distributed with mean 68 cm and s.d. 2.5 cm.
What should be the size of the sample whose mean shall not differ from the population
mean by more than 1 cm with probability 0.95? [Given that area under standard
normal curve to the right of the ordinate at 1.96 is 0.025]
13. The mean µ of a certain population is equal to the standard error of mean of random
samples of size 100 from that population. Find out the standard error of the mean
of random samples of size 36 from that population, in terms of µ. (Assume that the
population size is very large.)
14. The mean weight of 4000 students is 50 kg and their standard deviation is 5 kg. Find
the probability that in a random sample of 100 students would have a combined weight
more than 5100 kg, when the sampling is done under SRSWR. [Given P (Z > 2) =
C 0.0228 and P (Z > 2.04) = 0.0207, where Z is a standard normal variate.]
15. The mean weight of 4000 students is 50 kg and their standard deviation is 5 kg. Find
the probability that in a random sample of 100 students would have a combined weight
more than 5100 kg, when the sampling is done under SRSWOR. [Given P (Z > 2) =
0.0228 and P (Z > 2.04) = 0.0207, where Z is a standard normal variate.]
Ten Marks Questions
AV
1. A population consists of the four numbers 3, 7, 11, 15. Consider all possible samples of
size 2 which can be drawn without replacement with population. Find
(a) the population mean,
(b) the population standard deviation,
(c) the mean of the sampling distribution of sample means,
(d) the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of sample means.
Verify (iii) and (iv) directly from (i) and (ii) by use of suitable formulae.
2. The values of a characteristic x of a population containing 4 units are 2, 4, 6, 8. Con-
sidering all possible samples of size 2 drawn without replacement from this population,
find
(a) the population mean,
(b) the population standard deviation,
(c) the mean of the sampling distribution of sample means,
(d) the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of sample means.
Verify (iii) and (iv) directly from (i) and (ii) by use of suitable formulae.
3
3. Compute the standard error of sample means and construct the sampling distribution
of the mean for simple random samples of two families each from a population of 5
families which is given below:
Family A B C D E
Family size 4 3 2 5 7
4. Ages of 5 persons have been recorded (in years) as 14, 19, 17, 20, 25. For random samples
of size 3 drawn without replacement from this population,
(a) obtain the sampling distribution of x̄ and show that the mean of x̄ equals the
population mean,
(b) obtain the S.E. of x̄ directly from the sampling distribution and also by using the
formula.
C
5. Distribution of marks scored in an examination is normal. Samples of marks of four
students are drawn and it is seen that the probability of the sample mean to be less
than 61 is 0.44, to be more
R z than 80 is 0.04. Find the mean and standard deviation of
the distribution. [Given 0 ϕ(t) dt = 0.06, 0.46 according as z = 0.15, 1.75]
6. Distribution of inside diameters of washers produced by a machine is normal. Samples
of 36 washers are drawn and it is seen that the probability of sample mean to be less
than 0.496 cm is 0.5793, to be more than 0.508 cm is 0.0808. Find the mean and
AV
standard deviation of the population distribution. [Given P (Z > 2) = 0.4207 and
P (Z > 1.4) = 0.0808, where Z is a standard normal variate.]
7. A population consists of 3 numbers {1, 3, 4}. Samples of size two are drawn with
replacement (SRSWR). Find
(a) mean of the sampling distribution of the sample variance and verify the result
n−1 2
E(S 2 ) = σ ,
n
(b) the s.d. of the sampling distribution of variances.
