The proportion of all consumers favoring a new product might be a slow as 0.20 or as high as 0.60.A random sample is to be used to estimate the proportion of the consumers who favor the the new product to with in plus or minus 0.05,with a confidence coefficient of 90%. To be on the safe, what is the sample size shuold be used.

1 answer

We can use the formula for sample size:

n = [(z-score)^2 * p * (1-p)] / E^2

where:
z-score = 1.645 (from a Z-table for 90% confidence level)
p = 0.5 (a conservative estimate assuming no prior knowledge about the true proportion)
E = 0.05 (the margin of error)

Plugging in the values, we get:

n = [(1.645)^2 * 0.5 * (1-0.5)] / (0.05)^2
n = 676.73

Rounding up to the nearest whole number, we get a sample size of 677.

Therefore, a sample size of at least 677 consumers should be used to estimate the proportion of those who favor the new product within plus or minus 0.05, with a 90% confidence level.