Name: __________________________

 

Alias: ___________________________

 

Note: For this class you will need to create a nickname or “alias.”  You will need to create this alias for two reasons.  First, when we post grades on-line, we will need to post your grade in a way that preserves your confidentiality.  As such, we will always you’re your grade with your alias as opposed to using your real name.  Second, later in the semester you will be working on home works and exercises over the Internet.  In order to get credit for these web-based assignments, you will need to enter your alias.  So, please create an alias now and write it down somewhere so you can refer to it at a later time.  It will be important that you use the same alias consistently throughout this course.  (Otherwise you may not get credit for your work.)

 

This exam will be due in class on Mon Feb 9th.  Please make your writing legible.  In fact, I would strongly encourage you to “copy and paste” these questions into a word processor and type your answers (and add drawings later, as needed).  If we can’t read your writing, we will NOT give you the benefit of the doubt.

 

1.  Briefly define four scales of measurement and provide examples of each (examples not discussed in lecture). [10 points]

 

 

 

 

 

2.  This exam will be scored on a 100 point scale representing the proportion of points that people earn relative to the total number of points.  Thus, someone who aces the exam will receive a 100%, whereas someone who misses the exam will receive a 0%.  Create hypothetical exam scores for 20 people and make those scores positively skewed.  Draw a frequency polygon to illustrate the distribution of scores.  In addition, create a frequency table for the scores.  Finally, explain one possible reason that these scores may have a positive skew (as opposed to having a symmetric distribution or a negative skew). [10 points]

 

 

 

 

3.  What does “central tendency” refer to?  What are three ways in which central tendency can be summarized quantitatively?  Summarize the central tendency of the following numbers using each of the three quantitative techniques: 1, 2, 5, 4, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 5, 6, 7, 2, 3. [10 points]

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. What is the median for the following set of scores:  2, 5, 1, 10? [5 points]

 

 

 

 

5. Explain why the equation that we use for the mean flows naturally from defining the mean as a balancing point of a set of scores? [10 points]