The National Opinion Research Center administered the General Social Survey (GSS) in 2010 to persons in the United States who were 18 years of age or older. One question asked respondents for their highest grade of school completed (Respondent’s Years of Education). Another question asked respondents for the highest grade of school that their father had completed (Father’s Years of Education). The equation for the least squares regression line for predicting a respondent’s years of education, ŷ, from the years of education for the respondent’s father, x, is:

Question

The National Opinion Research Center administered the General Social Survey (GSS) in 2010 to persons in the United States who were 18 years of age or older. One question asked respondents for their highest grade of school completed (Respondent’s Years of Education). Another question asked respondents for the highest grade of school that their father had completed (Father’s Years of Education). The equation for the least squares regression line for predicting a respondent’s years of education, ŷ, from the years of education for the respondent’s father, x, is:

ŷ = 9.996 + 0.355x

For a respondent whose father had 17 years of education, the respondent is predicted to have 16 years of education. Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

A.
Each respondent has about one less year of education than his or her father

B.
If a respondent’s father has 17 years of education, the respondent has exactly 16 years of education

C.
For all respondents whose fathers have 17 years of education, the average years of education for those respondents is about 16 years

D.
For all respondents whose fathers have 17 years of education, the years of education for those respondents is exactly 16 years

Answer 1

The correct statement is:

C. For all respondents whose fathers have 17 years of education, the average years of education for those respondents is about 16 years.