Math 121 - Midterm 1

Suggested Study Problems

Here are problems that are similar to the ones you might see on the exam. Be sure to also review old quiz and workshop questions too. The exam will have both multiple choice and short answer questions.

Data Basics

Know all the terminology: Populations, Samples, Individuals, Variables, Statistics, Parameters, etc.

Sampling

Make sure you know the difference between random error and bias. What is the best way to avoid bias? What is the best way to minimize random error?

Examining Numerical Data

Make sure you know all of the different ways to plot a quantitative variable: Boxplots, Stemplots, Histograms. There will also be questions about how we measure the shape, center, and spread of a quantitative variable.

Normal Distributions

Make sure you comfortable with standardized values (z-values) and finding normal distribution proportions. Be sure to memorize the 68-95-99.7 rule.

Comparing Two Quantitative Variables

Make sure you can explain the meaning and the units of the slope of the least squares regression line.

In the following exercises, the book uses a special table to write the information for the regression lines. Since we haven’t used these tables, I’ve included the slope and intercept for each problem.