ACCA Applied Knowledge · Management Accounting · Sampling methods
A sampling frame contains 1,200 customer accounts and a systematic sample of 40 is required. The random starting point is account 17. Which account numbers will be the second and third selected?
The second and third accounts are 47 and 77. The sampling interval is population divided by sample size, 1,200 divided by 40, which is 30. Adding 30 successively to the starting point of 17 gives 47 and then 77.
- AAccounts 47 and 77Correct
- BAccounts 57 and 97
- CAccounts 37 and 57
- DAccounts 34 and 51
Explanation
Sampling interval = 1,200 / 40 = 30. Starting at 17, the next selections are 17 + 30 = 47 and 47 + 30 = 77. Using an interval of 40 (swapping population and sample size) would give 57 and 97, which is wrong.
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