To determine whether the student's sample is appropriate and representative, we need to consider a few factors:
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Sampling Method: If the student randomly selects 15 ice samples from coffee drinks served at the coffee shop, it is a good step towards avoiding bias. However, the randomness must be truly reflective of the variety of drinks served (e.g., different times of day, different types of drinks, etc.).
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Size of the Sample: A sample size of 15 can be considered small, depending on the total number of ice samples available within the coffee shop. If the coffee shop is frequented by many customers throughout the day, a larger sample might provide a more reliable representation.
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Diversity of the Sample: The ice should be sampled from a diverse range of drinks and times to ensure that the findings can be generalized to the entire coffee shop's ice.
Given these considerations, the evaluation of the sample as an appropriate, random sample hinges on how well these criteria are met.
Based on standard practices for sampling, it may often be concluded that without more context on how the samples were specifically chosen (in terms of times, types of drinks, etc.), it could be argued that the sample may not be fully representative.
So, the most suitable response would likely be:
Option #2: No, her sample is not an appropriate, random sample. It does not represent the whole population.
This response assumes that factors such as variability in ice sourcing or drink types may not have been adequately controlled in her sample process.