A Single Population Mean Using the Student's t-Distribution · Example 2

A group of researchers is working to understand the scope of industrial pollution in the human body. Industrial chemicals may enter the body through pollution or as ingredients in consumer products. In October 2008, the scientists tested cord-blood samples for 20 newborn infants in the United States. The cord blood of the in utero/newborn group was tested for 430 industrial compounds, pollutants, and other chemicals, including chemicals linked to brain and nervous-system toxicity, immune-system toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and fertility problems. There are health concerns about the effects of some chemicals on the brain and nervous system. shows how many of the targeted chemicals were found in each infant’s cord blood.

$$\begin{array}{cccccccccc}\text{79}& \text{145}& \text{147}& \text{160}& \text{116}& \text{100}& \text{159}& \text{151}& \text{156}& \text{126}\\ \text{137}& \text{83}& \text{156}& \text{94}& \text{121}& \text{144}& \text{123}& \text{114}& \text{139}& \text{99}\end{array}$$
Use this sample data to construct a 90 percent confidence interval for the mean number of targeted industrial chemicals to be found in an infant’s blood.

OpenStax, Statistics · §8.2 A Single Population Mean Using the Student's t-Distribution · Example 2