A frozen yogurt shop conducted a survey in which it asked every fourth customer for his or her favorite flavor. Most of the customers surveyed preferred vanilla yogurt, so the shop concluded that the customers' favorite flavor is vanilla. Is this a valid conclusion?
No, this conclusion is not valid. The survey methodology of asking every fourth customer may introduce sampling bias, as it does not guarantee a representative sample of all customers. It is possible that the sampling method unintentionally selected a specific group of customers who prefer vanilla yogurt more than others. To make a valid conclusion, a more random and representative sampling method should be used to ensure a fair representation of all customers' preferences.
No, the conclusion that vanilla is the customers' favorite flavor may not be valid. The sampling method used in this survey, known as systematic sampling, may introduce a sampling bias. By only selecting every fourth customer, the survey may not be representative of the entire customer population. For example, if there is a time pattern in customer preferences, such as certain flavors being popular during specific times of the day, this sampling method may not capture that variation. To draw a valid conclusion about the customers' favorite flavor, a more random and representative sampling method should be employed, such as simple random sampling or stratified sampling.
