Finding the Mean and Variance of the

Sampling Distribution of Means

Module 5.0
Intended learning Outcome

• Find the mean, the variance, and the standard

deviation of the sampling distribution of the sample
means using formula
5.0 Mean and Variance of Sampling Distribution

Introduction
• In the previous module, you learned how to construct a
sampling distribution.
• A sampling distribution is a probability distribution of a
statistic obtained from a larger number of samples drawn
from a specific population.
• The sampling distribution of a given population is the
distribution of frequencies of a range of different outcomes
that could possibly occur for a statistic of a population.
5.0 Mean and Variance of Sampling Distribution

• A lot of data drawn and used by academicians, statisticians, researchers,

marketers, analysts, etc. are actually samples, not populations.
• A sample is a subset of a population.
• For example, a medical researcher that wanted to compare the average weight of
all babies born in Luzon from 1995 to 2005 to those born in Mindanao within the
same time period cannot within a reasonable amount of time draw the data for
the entire population of over a million childbirths that occurred over the ten-year
time frame.
• He will instead only use the weight of, say, 100 babies, in each region to make a
conclusion.
• The weight of 200 babies used is the sample and the average weight calculated is
the sample mean.
Finding the Mean and Variance of the Sampling Distribution

• For an instance, birth weights are recorded for all babies in a

town. The mean birth weight is 3,500 grams, µ = mu = 3,500 g.
If we collect many random samples of 9 babies at a time, how
do you think sample means will behave?

• Here again, we are working with a random variable, since

random samples will have means that vary unpredictably in
the short run but exhibit patterns in the long run.
Finding the Mean and Variance of the Sampling Distribution

• Some sample means will be on the low side — say 3,000 grams or so —
while others will be on the high side — say 4,000 grams or so. In repeated
sampling, we might expect that the random samples will average out to the
underlying population mean of 3,500 g.

• For large samples, we might expect that sample means will not stray too far
from the population mean of 3,500. For smaller samples, we would be less
surprised by sample means that varied quite a bit from 3,500. In other
words, we might expect greater variability in sample means for smaller
samples. So sample size affects the spread of the distribution of sample
measures, as we observed for sample proportions.
Mean of the Sampling Distribution of the Sample Means

• If repeated random samples of a given size n are

taken from a population of values for a
quantitative variable, where the population mean
is μ (mu) and the population standard deviation
is σ (sigma) then the mean of all sample means
(mu sub x-bars) is equal to the population mean μ
(mu).
• Therefore:
• This is also known as the expected value of the
mean of the sampling distribution.
 Recall: Activity 1: Sampling Distribution of Sample Means
STEP 2: Possible Samples and their Sample Means
{2,4,9,10,5} Sample Sample Mean
N=5 2,4,9 5.00
n=3 2,4,10 5.33
NCn=10 2,4,5 3.67
2,9,10 7.00
The mean of
the sampling 2,9,5 5.33
distribution 2,10,5 5.67
of sample
means is 4,9,10 7.67
indeed equal
to the 4,9,5 6.00
population 4,10,5 6.33
mean .
9,10,5 8.00
Standard Deviation of the Sampling
Distribution of the Sample Means
• As for the spread of all sample means, theory
dictates the behavior much more precisely
than saying that there is less spread for larger
samples.
• In fact, the standard deviation of all sample
means is inversely related to the sample
size, n as indicated below.
Standard Deviation of the Sampling
Distribution of the Sample Means

• Since the square root of sample size n appears

in the denominator, the standard deviation
decreases as the sample size increases.
• The standard deviation () of the sampling
distribution of the sample means is also
known as the standard error of the mean. It
measures the degree of accuracy of the sample
mean as an estimation of the population mean.
 Variance of the Sampling Distribution of
the Sample Means

• The standard deviation () of the sampling

distribution of the sample means is also known as
the standard error of the mean.
• Therefore, the variance of the sampling
distribution of the sample means is:
Example 1
The score of individual students on a
national test has a normal distribution with a
mean of 18.6 and a standard deviation of 5.9.
At Quirino Senior High School, 76 students
took the test. If the scores at this school have
the same distribution as national scores, what
are the mean, standard deviation,  and
variance of the sample mean for 76 students?
Example 1
The score of individual students on a national test has a
normal distribution with a mean of 18.6 and a standard
deviation of 5.9. At Quirino Senior High School, 76 students
took the test. If the scores at this school have the same
distribution as national scores, what are the mean, standard
deviation,  and variance of the sample mean for 76 students?

Given:
n = 76
σ = 5.9
μ = 18.6
Example 1
Given:
n = 76
σ = 5.9
μ = 18.6
Example 2
The height of male college students are
normally distributed with a mean of 68
inches and a variance of 9 inches. If 80
samples consisting of 25 students each are
drawn from the population, what would be
the expected mean and standard deviation
of the resulting sampling distribution?
Example 2
The height of male college students are normally distributed
with a mean of 68 inches and a variance of 9 inches. If 80
samples consisting of 25 students each are drawn from the
population, what would be the expected mean and standard
deviation of the resulting sampling distribution?

Given:
n = 25
σ2 = 9
μ = 68
Example 2
Given:
n = 25
σ2 = 9
μ = 68
Well done!
Reminder:
Answer all the Assessment Tasks per
module on time.
• Module 4.0
• Discussion 4.0 – PETA4
• Quiz 4.0
• Module 5.0 (unlock by finishing Module 4)
• Discussion 5.0 – PETA5
• Quiz 5.0
• Answering Practice Exercises before the
quizzes helps a lot!
Sampling Distribution of the Sample
Means and the Central Limit Theorem

Module 6.0
6.0 Overview

• The sampling distribution of the mean of a random sample drawn from

any population is approximately normal for a sufficient large sample size.
• The larger the sample size, the more closely the sampling distribution of
x̄ will look like a normal distribution.
• The Central Limit Theorem is used to gain information about a sample
mean when variable is normally distributed or when the sample size n is
30 or more.
• In this module, you will learn the properties of the sampling distribution
of the sample means.
 Recall

• Sampling Distribution of the Sample Means (Module 4)

• Computing for the Mean, Standard Deviation, and

Variance of the Sampling Distribution of the Sample
Means Using Formula (Module 5)
 Recall

• Sampling Distribution of the Sample Means (Module 4)

• Computing for the Mean, Standard Deviation, and

Variance of the Sampling Distribution of the Sample
Means Using Formula (Module 5)
Recall: Describing the Sampling Distribution of the
Sample Means (Week 5)
A population has a mean of 60 and a standard
deviation of 5. A random sample of 16 measurements
is drawn from this population. Describe the sampling
distribution of the sample means by computing its
mean and the standard deviation.

Identify the given:

Population Mean µ =
Population Standard Deviation σ =
Sample Size n =
Recall: Describing the Sampling Distribution of the
Sample Means (Week 5)
A population has a mean of 60 and a standard deviation Given:
of 5. A random sample of 16 measurements is drawn from Population
this population. Describe the sampling distribution of the Mean µ = 60
sample means by computing its mean and the standard
deviation. Population
Mean of the sampling distribution of the sample means: Standard
Deviation σ = 5
µ =µ= 60
Standard Deviation of the sampling distribution of the Sample Size n =
sample means: 16
1.25
Recall

• Sampling Distribution of the Sample Means (Week 4)

• Computing for the Mean, Standard Deviation, and

Variance of the Sampling Distribution of the Sample
Means Using Formula (Week 5)
Activity 2: Sample Means of Finite Population
Consider a population consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Suppose samples of size 3 are drawn from this
population.
• What is the mean and variance of the
population? (Calculate using a Sci Cal with
Statistics functions. E.g.:
https://www.calculator.net/statistics-calculator.ht
ml
)
• Compare these values to the mean and variance
Activity 2: Sample Means of Finite Population
Consider a population consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Suppose
samples of size 3 are drawn from this population.
• What is the mean and variance of the population?
(Calculate using a Sci Cal with Statistics functions. E.g.:
https://www.calculator.net/statistics-calculator.html )
• Population Mean µ:

• Population Variance σ2:

Activity 2: Sample Means of Finite Population
Consider a population consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Suppose
samples of size 3 are drawn from this population.
• Compare these values to the mean and variance of the
sampling distribution of the sample means.
• Mean of the sampling distribution of the sample means:

µ =µ=
• Variance of the sampling distribution of the sample

means: = =
 Activity 2
Population Sampling Distribution of
(N =5) the Sample Mean
(n = 3)

Mean µ = 3.00 µ = 3.00

Variance =2.00 = 0.67
Standard =1.41 = 0.81
Deviation

• Recall: Mean is always equal (µ = µ)

• The standard deviation of the sampling distribution is
obtained by using the formula =
• The variance of the sampling distribution is obtained by using
the formula = or by squaring the standard deviation of the
sampling distribution ()2=2.
• The standard deviation () of the
sampling distribution of the sample
means is also known as the standard
error of the mean. It measures the
degree of accuracy of the sample mean
() as an estimate of the sample mean
• A good estimate of the mean is
obtained if the standard error of the
mean () is small or close to zero, while a
poor estimate, is the standard error of
the mean () is large
• Thus, if we want to get a good estimate
of the population mean, we have to
make n sufficiently large. This fact is
stated as a theorem, which is known as
The Central Limit Theorem