Question

How could increasing the number of plants help you decrease error in the experiment? Check all possible reasons.

It would increase the sampling error.

It would reduce the significance of any single measurement error.

It would make calculations easier.

Having more data would make the average height less affected by one or two plants that are randomly shorter or taller.

It would make a plant’s death less of an issue.

Answer 1

Select:
- It would reduce the significance of any single measurement error. — Yes. More samples dilute the impact of any one bad measurement on the mean (for random errors).
- Having more data would make the average height less affected by one or two plants that are randomly shorter or taller. — Yes. A larger sample makes the mean more stable and less sensitive to outliers.
- It would make a plant’s death less of an issue. — Yes. Losing one or two plants has smaller effect on the results when the sample is larger.

Do not select:
- It would increase the sampling error. — No; increasing sample size decreases sampling error/variance.
- It would make calculations easier. — No; more data usually increases calculation workload (though estimates become more precise).