Re: [gov1000-list] samgov1000-list@fas.harvard.edu <gov1000-list@fas.harvard.edu>ple v. population confidence intervals

Hi Mike, I think you use n when you're estimating a population parameter, and you use n-1 when you're estimating a sample parameter. So if we're trying to get a confidence interval for the *sample* mean, we use sqrt(p(1-p)/n, but when we're talking about the mean of the entire population that the sample was drawn from, you use n-1 instead. It just depends on whether the thing in the middle of your CI is a statistic or a population parameter (and they usually tell you in the question which one they want a CI for!) Cheers, Zoe On Wed, 24 Sep 2003, Michael Richard Kellermann wrote: > > Hi all - > > I have a question about the discussion we had tonight regarding the > confidence interval versus the sample confidence interval. I understand > that when you have to estimate both the mean and the standard deviation

_______________________________________________ gov1000-list mailing list gov1000-list(a)fas.harvard.edu http://www.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/gov1000-list