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What is the general form used to build a confidence interval?
A(point estimate - margin of error, point estimate + margin of error)
B(sample size - confidence level, sample size + confidence level)
C(population mean - sample mean, population mean + sample mean)
D(smallest observed value, largest observed value)
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. (point estimate - margin of error, point estimate + margin of error)
1. Every confidence interval here is built around one point estimate and one margin of error.
2. The lower bound subtracts that margin of error from the point estimate, and the upper bound adds it.
3. This gives the general form: (point estimate - margin of error, point estimate + margin of error).
4. Options B, C, and D substitute quantities that are never combined this way, such as confidence level or raw data range.
_Source: OpenStax Introductory Statistics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 "Confidence Intervals", section 8.1 A Single Population Mean using the Normal Distribution_
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