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7.5.1: Project Check-In 4

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    60442
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    Project Check-In 4: Comparing Means with Confidence Intervals

    You've now learned how to build a confidence interval for a sample mean — and in your housing affordability project, that opens up exciting possibilities for comparison!

    TODO: Use your collected housing data to construct confidence intervals for the mean price in at least two different cities (or ZIP codes/regions) within your dataset. Then, place them side by side in a graph. You'll reflect both on the technical results and the story they tell.

    What to Include:

    • Construct at least two confidence intervals for average housing prices — each one based on a different group (e.g., city or ZIP code).
    • Each confidence interval should include:
      • The sample mean
      • The sample size (n)
      • The sample standard deviation (s)
      • The margin of error and the level of confidence used (use 95% unless you have a reason to choose differently)
      • The resulting confidence interval: (lower bound, upper bound)
    • Graph your confidence intervals on a number line or bar chart:
      • You can draw this by hand, or use Google Sheets, Excel, Desmos, or another tool
      • Label each interval clearly with its city or region
      • Make sure the graph's axis is scaled to allow visual comparison

    Reflection Questions:

    • Which group/region had the highest estimated mean housing price? Which one had the lowest?
    • Do any of your confidence intervals overlap? What might that suggest?
    • Is the difference between regions statistically significant? Why or why not?
    • What could affect the precision of your intervals (i.e., what makes them wider or narrower)?
    • How might sampling bias, variation, or small sample size impact your conclusions?

    Visualization Example (Optional):

    Use a simple CI graph like this (hand-drawn or digital is fine):
    Midtown (95% CI): ───────────────
    West Side (95% CI): ────────
    Suburbs (95% CI): ──────────────────────

    Tip: Align your intervals along a shared price scale so they're easy to interpret together.

    Your Submission Should Contain:

    • A short paragraph restating your question and what you set out to compare
    • Each confidence interval and how it was calculated (with formulas and/or tech screenshots)
    • A clearly labeled graph showing multiple confidence intervals
    • Answers to the reflection questions above
    • Any notes about limitations or interesting discoveries from your dataset
    Helpful Tip: You can revisit the worked examples in Chapter 7.4 for step-by-step guidance on calculating confidence intervals using summary statistics. Copy a template, then adjust for each region.

    This page titled 7.5.1: Project Check-In 4 is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Mathematics Department.

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