AP Statistics: Part 3 Exam Breakdown
Exam breakdown: Chapters 11-13
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Day 1
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Day 2
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(Tuesday, December 9th)
Ten Multiple Choice Questions
Six Short Answer Questions
(Wednesday, December 10th)
2 AP Multiple Choice Questions
2 AP Free Response Questions
Topics to be reviewed:
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Randomness and Simulation (Ch. 11):
o Vocabulary to know: Random, generating random numbers, simulation,
trial, response variable
o Know how to: assign random digits, describe how you would run a
simulation in detail, perform a simulation on a list of random digits,
make a conclusion based on your simulation
Surveys and Bias (Ch. 12):
o Vocabulary to know: Population, sample, sampling frame, randomization,
census, simple random sample, stratified random sample, cluster sample,
multistage sample, systematic sample, convenience sample, voluntary
response bias, nonresponse bias, response bias, undercoverage,
population parameter, sample statistic
o Be able to recognize the different types of surveys and distinguish them
from one another
o Know the difference between response bias, nonresponse bias, and
voluntary response bias
o Bias:
 It results from a sampling method likely to produce samples that
do not represent the population
 Randomization helps reduce bias
 Increasing the sample size does NOT reduce bias
o Statistics are from a set of sampled data, parameters are a numerically
valued attribute of a model for a population
Observation Studies and Experiments (Ch. 13):
o Vocabulary to know: Observational study, retrospective study,
prospective study, experiment, factor, level, treatment, response,
statistically significant, control group, blinding, placebo, placebo effect,
blocking matching, confounding
o Know the difference between an observational study and an experiment
and be able to pick out which is which in a given scenario
o Be able to identify the factors, treatments, and response variable in a
given experiment
o Know how to explain statistically significant in the context of a given
experiment
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Two main classes of individual who can affect the outcome of an
experiment
 Those who could influence the results (subjects, treatment
administrators, etc.)
 Those who evaluate the results (judges, physicians, researchers,
etc.)
 If one of those two classes don’t know who received the
placebo/treatment then the experiment is single-blind.
 If both classes don’t know then the experiment is double-blind
Know when blocking is appropriate
Designing a good experiment:
 Control aspects of the experiment that we know may have an
effect on the response
 Randomize subjects to treatments to even out effects that we
cannot control – the subjects don’t need to be randomly chosen,
just assigning them to the treatments
 Replicate over as many subjects as possible
 Block to reduce the effects of identifiable attributes of the subjects
that cannot be controlled
Example Multiple Choice Questions
1. A company sponsoring a new internet search engine wants to collect data on the
ease of using it. Which is the best way to collect the data?
a. Census
b. Sample survey
c. Observational study
d. Experiment
e. Simulation
2. The January 2005 Gallup Youth Survey telephone a random sample of 1,028 US
teens and asked these teens to name their favorite movie from 2004. “Napoleon
Dynamite” had the highest percentage with 8% of teens ranking it as their favorite
movie. Which is true?
I. The population of interest is all US teens
II. 8% is a statistic and not the actual percentage of all US teens who would
rank this movie as their favorite
III. This sampling design should provide a reasonably accurate estimate of
the actual percentage of all US teens who would rank this movie as their
favorite
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and II
e. I, II, and III
3. Suppose your local school district decides to randomly test high school students for
ADD. There are three high schools in the district, each with grades 9-12. The school
board pools all of the students together and randomly samples 250 students. Is
this a simple random sample?
a. Yes, because the students were chosen at random.
b. Yes, because each student is equally likely to be chosen.
c. Yes, because they could have chosen any 250 students from
throughout the district.
d. No, because we can’t guarantee that there are students from each
school in the sample.
e. No, because we can’t guarantee that there are students from each
grade in the sample.
4. A basketball players has a 70% free throw percentage. Which plan could be used to
simulate the number of free throws she will make in her next five free throw
attempts?
I. Let 0, 1represent making the first shot, 2, 3 represent making the second
shot, …, 8, 9 represent making the fifth shot. Generate five random
numbers 0-9, ignoring repeats.
II. Let 0, 1, 2 represent missing a shot and 3, 4, …, 9 represent making a
shot. Generate five random numbers 0-9 and count how many numbers
are in 3-9.
III. Let 0, 1, 2 represent missing a shot and 3, 4, …, 9 represent making a
shot. Generate five random numbers 0-9 and count how many numbers
are in 3-9, ignoring repeats.
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. II and III
e. I, II, and III
5. More dogs are being diagnosed with thyroid problems than have been diagnosed in
the past. A researcher identified 50 puppies without thyroid problems and kept
records of their diets for several years to see if any developed thyroid problems.
This is a(n):
a. Randomized experiment
b. Survey
c. Prospective study
d. Retrospective study
e. Blocked experiment
6. A chemistry professor who teaches a large lecture class survey his students who
attend his class about how he can make the class more interesting, hoping he can
get more students to attend. This survey method suffers from:
a. Voluntary response bias
b. Nonresponse bias
c. Response bias
d. Undercoverage
e. None of the above
7. Placebos are a tool for:
a. Sampling
b. Blocking
c. Blinding
d. Control
e. Randomization
8. Double-blinding in experiments is important so that:
I. The evaluators do not know which treatment group the participants are
in.
II. The participants do not know which treatment group they are in
III. No one knows which treatment any of the participants are getting
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and II
e. I, II, and III
9. Which of the following is NOT required in an experimental design:
a. Blocking
b. Control
c. Randomization
d. Replication
e. All are required in an experimental design
10. Which statement is true about bias?
I. Bias results from a random variation and will always be present
II. Bias results from a sampling method likely to produce samples that do
not represent the population
III. Bias is usually reduced when sample size is larger
a. I only
b. II only
c. III only
d. I and III
e. II and III
Example Short Answer Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Part II Review Book Problems
Directly after the chapter 13 book problems, your textbook contains the Part III Review
problems. The complete solutions to ALL of these problems can be found under the
“Part III” tab on the class website: www.myhaikuclass.com/hjhunt/apstats. It is on the
side of the page called “Part III Review Book Solutions”. Here is a breakdown of the
problems and what content each covers. Please focus on the material that you feel you
need the most help/practice in. It’s a good idea to hit each concept but to practice the
content you struggle most with, even more.
AP Questions
Please refer to the FRAPPY problems from the past few weeks to study for that portion
of the test. The complete solutions to these free response questions is also located on
the class website under the “AP Practice” tab on the left side of the website. If you
know the content for chapters 11-13 and can write in context and in full sentences,
you will be fine on the AP free response questions. The AP multiple choice questions
are similar to the multiple choice questions provided on previous pages as well.
Example Multiple Choice Questions – Solutions
1) B 2) E 3) C 4) B 5) C 6) D 7) C 8) D 9) A 10) B