Doctors put a group of women preparing to run their first marathon in the same running group. All of the women were mothers. Which question would best be answered by conducting an experimental study of these women?

What is the maximum number of children of any woman in the group?

What is the mean age of the women in the group?

How does age affect the amount of time needed to complete the marathon?

How many training sessions does the group complete before the marathon?

i think its either the first or third one

How does age affect the amount of time needed to complete the marathon? is the correct answer

You are correct that either the first or the third question could potentially be best answered through an experimental study of these women. Let's analyze both options:

1. "What is the maximum number of children of any woman in the group?"
To answer this question, no experimentation is actually required. You could simply survey or interview the women to collect data on the number of children each of them has. An experimental study typically involves manipulating variables and measuring the effects, which is not necessary in this case.

3. "How does age affect the amount of time needed to complete the marathon?"
This question involves investigating the relationship between age and marathon completion time, which could potentially benefit from an experimental study. In this case, the women could be divided into different age groups, and their marathon performances could be measured and compared. However, it's worth noting that a comparative observational study could also provide insights into this question without the need for any manipulation.

Ultimately, while both questions could potentially benefit from experimentation, the question that best aligns with the design of an experimental study is #3: "How does age affect the amount of time needed to complete the marathon?"

The first choice would be the easiest to determine.