FSOT Mathematics and Statistics 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An analyst notes that countries with higher literacy rates tend to have lower infant mortality rates. This is an example of what type of correlation?
- Positive correlation
- Negative correlation (Correct answer)
- Zero correlation
- Causation without correlation
Correct answer: Negative correlation
As literacy increases, infant mortality decreases — these variables move in opposite directions, indicating negative correlation.
Question 2: A diplomat's annual salary is $95,000 and is increased by 4%. What is her new annual salary?
- $97,800
- $98,400
- $98,800 (Correct answer)
- $99,000
Correct answer: $98,800
New salary = $95,000 × 1.04 = $98,800.
Question 3: A report states that refugee admissions increased by 150% over a decade. If the original number was 40,000, what is the new number?
- 60,000
- 80,000
- 100,000 (Correct answer)
- 140,000
Correct answer: 100,000
A 150% increase means the new value = 40,000 + (1.50 × 40,000) = 40,000 + 60,000 = 100,000.
Question 4: The mean annual income in a city is $55,000 and the median is $42,000. What does this indicate about the income distribution?
- Symmetric distribution
- Left-skewed (negatively skewed) distribution
- Right-skewed (positively skewed) distribution (Correct answer)
- Uniform distribution
Correct answer: Right-skewed (positively skewed) distribution
When the mean exceeds the median, the distribution is right-skewed, typically caused by a few very high earners pulling the mean upward.
Question 5: A table shows trade deficits over three years: Year 1: -$12B, Year 2: -$18B, Year 3: -$9B. What is the mean trade deficit over this period?
- -$10B
- -$13B (Correct answer)
- -$15B
- -$18B
Correct answer: -$13B
Mean = (-12 + -18 + -9) / 3 = -39 / 3 = -13 billion dollars.
Question 6: An intelligence report uses a 1-to-10 reliability scale. Ratings of 6, 7, 9, 8, and 5 are averaged. What is the average reliability score?
- 6.5
- 7.0 (Correct answer)
- 7.5
- 8.0
Correct answer: 7.0
Average = (6 + 7 + 9 + 8 + 5) / 5 = 35 / 5 = 7.0.
Question 7: A policy analyst needs to select a random sample from a population of 1,200 records, assigning each a number and using a random number table. This technique is called:
- Stratified sampling
- Cluster sampling
- Simple random sampling (Correct answer)
- Systematic sampling
Correct answer: Simple random sampling
Assigning numbers to every member and using a random device to select them defines simple random sampling, where each member has an equal chance of selection.
FSOT Mathematics and Statistics 5
An analyst notes that countries with higher literacy rates tend to have lower infant mortality rates.
This is an example of what type of correlation?