Deloitte & Touche rank the 500 fastest growing technology companics in the United States based on percentage growth over a five-year period. Their rankings are called the Technology Fast 500. A random sample of 12 companies from the 1999 Technology Fast 500 and their growth rates are shown in the table (page 277)

followed by a MINITAB analysis of the data.

a. Find a 95% confidence interval for the true mean five-year revenue growth rate for the 1999 Technology Fast 500. Interpret the result.

b. In order to cstimatc the mean described in part a with a small-sample confidence interval, what characteristic must the population possess?

c. Explain why the required population characteristics may not hold in this case.