A polling firm conducts a random, national sample of 4,200 Americans. The poll reveals that 51% of the respondents believe mothers with young children should stay at home to raise them, whereas 49% say mothers should continue to work and place their children in day care. The reported sampling error for the poll is +/- 5%. On a TV talk show, Senator Boswell refers to the poll's results, stating "I'm glad to see the country is starting to embrace family values once again." The primary problem with the senator's argument is:
A) The poll is not based on a random sample
B) The sample was not large enough
C) The poll failed to report the margin of error
D) The sample was nonrepresentative
E) The difference is within the margin of error

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary problem with the Senator's argument is that the difference between the percentage of respondents who believe mothers should stay at home and those who say mothers should work and use day care is within the margin of error. Therefore, the poll's results are not statistically significant enough to make conclusions about the entire population's views on family values.

A Polling Firm Conducts a Random, National Sample of 4,200