For a biology project, a student wants to research whether the ice at her local coffee shop is clean and free from impurities. She decides to test 5 ice samples from randomly selected coffee drinks. Determine whether her sample from randomly selected coffee drinks. Determine whether her sample is an appropriate, random sample and a good representation of the population.

Answer 1

To determine if the student's sample is appropriate and a good representation of the population, she would need to consider a few factors:

1. Random Selection: The student mentions that she chose the ice samples from randomly selected coffee drinks. This is a good approach as it helps to eliminate any bias in her selection process. Randomly selecting samples from a variety of coffee drinks ensures that she is capturing a diverse range of possible contaminants that could be present in the ice.

2. Sample Size: The student has chosen 5 ice samples. While this may be a small sample size, it could still provide valuable insights into the cleanliness of the ice at the coffee shop. However, a larger sample size would provide more accurate and reliable results.

3. Population Representation: The population in this case would be all the ice served at the local coffee shop. The student should ensure that her samples are representative of this population. She could consider factors such as the types of drinks sampled, the time of day the samples were collected, and any other relevant variables that could influence the quality of the ice.

Overall, while the student's sample may not be perfect, it seems like a reasonably appropriate and random selection of ice samples from coffee drinks. By conducting the necessary tests and analyzing the results, she should be able to draw some conclusions about the cleanliness and quality of the ice at her local coffee shop.