What might explain differences between Bear Paw Lake and Coyote Lake results and Dr. Bell's results when more than 100 fish per lake were examined?

What might explain differences between Bear Paw Lake and Coyote Lake results and Dr. Bell's results when more than 100 fish per lake were examined?

• A. Sampling error due to smaller sample size in your experiment.
• B. Systematic measurement error in Dr. Bell's study.
• C. Different species were studied.
• D. Time of year altered results.

Answer: (A)

Small sample size invites sampling error. When you examine only a few fish, random fluctuations in which fish happen to be chosen can make the results look different from the true situation or from other studies. As you increase the number of fish to more than 100 per lake, the sample better represents the whole lake population, and random variation averages out. That means the results become more stable and consistent with other studies like Dr. Bell’s. So the differences you’re seeing with Bear Paw Lake and Coyote Lake are most plausibly explained by the greater influence of random chance in a smaller sample, rather than by real differences between the lakes or by errors in Dr. Bell’s measurements. If differences persisted with large samples, other factors like seasonality or species differences would be worth considering.

Small sample size invites sampling error. When you examine only a few fish, random fluctuations in which fish happen to be chosen can make the results look different from the true situation or from other studies. As you increase the number of fish to more than 100 per lake, the sample better represents the whole lake population, and random variation averages out. That means the results become more stable and consistent with other studies like Dr. Bell’s. So the differences you’re seeing with Bear Paw Lake and Coyote Lake are most plausibly explained by the greater influence of random chance in a smaller sample, rather than by real differences between the lakes or by errors in Dr. Bell’s measurements. If differences persisted with large samples, other factors like seasonality or species differences would be worth considering.