A t distribution will provide a better estimate of the population mean and standard error than will a z distribution when the sample size is very small or badly skewed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The t distribution is better suited for small sample sizes and skewed distributions because it takes into account the added uncertainty introduced by estimating the population standard deviation based on the sample data. The z distribution assumes we already know the population standard deviation, which is usually not the case in practice.

A T Distribution Will Provide a Better Estimate of the Population