Are These Conclusions Valid?

Why or why not?

1. Using a cluster sample from a phone book, you find that 56% of Bolton residents love Chinese food.

2. Based on a sample stratified by gender, you find that English is the subject that 68% say has the most relevance for their adult lives.

3. Using a convenience sample of 83 students from a school cafeteria, you find that 23% of students think that their teachers are "out to get them".

4. A systematic sample of NHL players sorted by their surnames makes you conclude that 78% of the players believe their contract is worth renewing.

5. Using a mail-in survey from Rolling Stone magazine, 96% of respondents championed the public funding of classical music concerts.

6. Based on a simple random sample of patrons working out at a gym, 94% stated that they work out to lose weight.

7. Using a cluster sample of grade 9 classes, you conclude that 17% of people are left-handed.

8. Using a simple random sample of Hall of Fame baseball players, you conclude that professional baseball players should compete in the Olympics.

9. Using a radio phone-in poll, 78% of the public think the government needs to put more money into health care.

10. Based on a cluster sample of 5 Peel high schools, a new computer system for generating report cards was approved.

11. Using a systematic sample of lockers where the lockers were forced open, 10% of Humberview lockers were empty.

12. Based on a simple random sample of a phone book, 4% of parents yell at their children during their minor sports games.

13. A census of the Humberview guidance counselors showed that 66.7% thought that a majority of grade 8 students are adequately prepared for high school.

14. A census of the 36 calculators on sale at Wal-Mart showed that 45% of calculators cost less than $9.

15. Based on a sample of cable viewers stratified by age group, 69% of people watch romantic movies or soap operas.