An automobile shop manager times six employees and found that the average time it took then to change a water pump was 18 minutes. The SD of the sample was 3. Find the 99% of the interval of the true mean.

99% = mean ± 2.575 SEm

SEm = SD/√(n-1)

To find the 99% confidence interval of the true mean, we can use the formula:

CI = X̄ ± Z * (SD/√n)

Where:
CI = Confidence interval
X̄ = Sample mean
Z = Z-score (critical value)
SD = Standard deviation of the sample
n = Sample size

First, let's calculate the critical value (Z-score) for a 99% confidence level. This critical value represents the number of standard deviations away from the mean that corresponds to a 99% confidence level. We can use a normal distribution table or a calculator to find this value.

The Z-score for a 99% confidence level is approximately 2.576.

Next, let's plug in the given values into the formula:

X̄ = 18 (sample mean)
SD = 3 (standard deviation of the sample)
n = 6 (sample size)
Z = 2.576 (Z-score for a 99% confidence level)

CI = 18 ± 2.576 * (3/√6)

Now, let's calculate the confidence interval:

CI = 18 ± 1.761

The 99% confidence interval of the true mean is (16.239, 19.761).

This means with 99% confidence, we can say that the true mean time it takes to change a water pump falls within the range of 16.239 minutes to 19.761 minutes.