One sample has SS = 80 and a second sample has SS = 48.

a. If n = 17 for both samples, find each of the sample variances, and calculate the pooled variance. Because the samples are the same size, you should find that the pooled variance is exactly halfway between the two sample variances.

b. Now assume that n = 17 for the first sample and n = 5 for the second. Again, calculate the two sample variances and the pooled variance. You should find that the pooled variance is closer to the variance for the larger sample.