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Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC)

2016
School Based Assessment
Additional Mathematics

Candidate’s Name: Shanyx Smith


Candidate’s Number:
Name of School: Queen’s College
School’s Code: 090041
Country/Territory: Guyana
Year of Examination: 2016
Topic: Statistics

[1]
Table of Contents
Content(s) Page #
Project Title 3
Purpose of Project 4
Method of Data Collection 5
Presentation of Data 6-8
Analysis of Data 9
Discussion of Findings/ 10
Conclusion
Recommendations 11
Bibliography 12
Appendix 13-16

[2]
Title
The probability of obtaining 50% or more on a multiple choice test
by randomly choosing the answers.

[3]
Purpose
It has been noticed by the researcher that a multiple choice test usually
contains four given answers. This ensures that the student would have a
chance of selecting the right answer for a question even if he/she does
not know the correct answer. The purpose of this experiment is:
➢ to determine the chances/probability of a student passing a
multiple choice test if he/she randomly selects an answer for each
question.
➢ to determine if it is possible to pass a multiple choice test by
randomly selecting the answers for each question.
➢ to determine how many questions can be answered correctly in a
multiple choice test if he/she randomly selects an answer for each
question.

Variables:
✓ Controlled Variable - Grade 11 Pre-CSEC Examination 2015
Social Studies Multiple Choice Paper
✓ Manipulated Variable - Questions selected from the paper to be
answered
✓ Responding Variable – The answer chosen for each question

[4]
Method of Data Collection
The data was collected through the use of a Grade 11 Pre-CSEC
Examination 2015 Social Studies Multiple Choice Paper (check
appendix).
30 questions were selected from the paper and were then distributed to
20 students in the fifth form of Queen’s College on the 7th January,
2015. They were asked to answer the 30 questions chosen, at that same
moment, but to randomly select their answers instead of searching for
the correct one. The answers from the students were collected by the
researcher and marked to determine how many of them passed or if any
of them passed at all. The data was then recorded and placed in a table.

[5]
Presentation of Data
The following table shows the results o f the experiment carried out:

Student No. Marks Obtained Percentage Obtained


1 6 20%
2 8 26.7%
3 10 33.3%
4 7 23.3%
5 6 20%
6 7 23.3%
7 9 30%
8 6 20%
9 6 20%
10 10 33.3%
11 8 26.7%
12 11 36.7%
13 12 40%
14 7 23.3%
15 4 13.3%
16 5 16.7%
17 6 20%
18 5 16.7%
19 10 33.3%
20 8 26.7%
Total 151 out of 600 503.3% out of 2000%
Figure 1: Table showing Results obtained from Experiment

[6]
FigureFigure
2: Table
2: Table
Figure 2: Column Chart showing Marks obtained by each Student
showingshowing
ResultsResults
Figure 2: Table obtained
Figure 2: Table obtained
from from Figure 2: Table
showing Results Experiment,
showing Results Experiment,
12, 1113, 12 showing Results
obtained from obtained from obtained from
Experiment, 3, 10 Figure 2: Table Experiment, 10, 10 Experiment, 19, 10
showing Results
obtained from
Figure 2: Table Experiment, 7, 9 Figure 2: Table Figure 2: Table
showing Results showing Results showing Results
obtained from obtained from obtained from
Experiment, Figure
2, 8 2: Table
Figure 2: Table Experiment, 11, 8 Figure 2: Table Experiment, 20, 8
showing Results
showing Results showing Results
obtained from
obtained from obtained from
Figure 2: Table FigureExperiment,
Experiment, 4,2:7Table Figure
6, 7 Figure
2: Table
2: Table Experiment, 14, 7 Figure 2: Table
showing Results showing Results showing showing
ResultsResults showing Results
Marks Obtained

obtained from obtained from obtained obtained


from from obtained from
Experiment, 1, 6 Experiment, 5, 6 Experiment, Experiment,
8, 6 9, 6 Figure 2: Table
Figure17,
Experiment, 2: 6Table
showing Results
showing Results
obtained from obtained from
Figure 2: Table Experiment,
Experiment, 16, 5 18, 5
showing Results
obtained from
Experiment, 15, 4

Student No.

The column graph above shows the marks obtained by each student involved in
this experiment. The highest score was 12 out of 30 which was obtained by student
#13. The second highest score was 11 out of 30 which was obtained by student
#12. The lowest score was 4 out of 30 which was obtained by student #15. The
modal score was 6 out of 30.

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FigureFigure
3: Line
3:Graph
Line Graph
Figure 3: Line Graph showing Percentage of Marks obtained by each Student
showing
showing
Percentage
Percentage
Figure 3: Line Graph Figure 3: Line
of Graph
Marks
of Marks
obtained
obtained Figure 3: Line Graph
showing Percentage showing Percentage
by each
by each
Student,
Student,
12, 13, showing Percentage
of Marks obtained Figure 3: Line Graph of Marks obtained 36.70%40% of Marks obtained
by each Student, 3, showing Percentage by each Student, 10, by each Student, 19,
Figure 3:33.30%
Line Graph of Marks obtained Figure 33.30%3: Line Graph Figure 33.30%
3: Line Graph
showing Percentage by each Student, 7, showing Percentage showing Percentage
Figure
of Marks 3: Line
obtainedFigure
Graph
3: Line30%
Graph Figure 3: Line Graph of Marks obtained
of Marks obtained
showing Percentage
by each Student, 2,showing Percentage showing
by each Student, 11, Percentage by each Student, 20,
Figure 26.70%
3:ofLine
Figure
Graph 3: Line
Marks obtained Graph
Figure
of Marks obtainedFigure
3: Line3:Graph
Line Graph
26.70% of Marks obtained Figure 3: Line26.70%
Graph
Percentage Obtained

showingbyPercentage
showing
each Student,Percentage
showing
showing
by each4,Student, 6, Percentage
Percentage showing
by each Student, 14, Percentage
of Marks obtained
of Marks obtained
23.30% of Marks
23.30% of Marks
obtained
obtained Figureof
23.30% 3:Marks
Line
Figure
Graph
3: Line Graph
obtained
by each Student,
by each
1, Student,by5,each
by each
Student,
Student,
8, 9, showing Percentage
showing
by each Percentage
Student, 17,
20% 20% 20% 20% Figure 3:
of Line
MarksGraph
obtained
of Marks
20% obtained
showing Percentage
by each Student,
by each16,
Student, 18,
of Marks obtained
16.70% 16.70%
by each Student, 15,
13.30%

Student No.

The line graph above shows the percentage of marks obtained by each student
involved in this experiment. The highest percentage was 40% which was obtained
by student #13. The second highest percentage was 36.7% which was obtained by
student #12. The lowest percentage was 13.3% which was obtained by student #15.
The modal percentage was 20%. Since the pass mark is 50%, it can be said that no
one passed the test.

[8]
Mathematical Knowledge/Analysis of Data
From this experiment, four outcomes were likely to occur. There was a possibility
that:

➢ Most students passed the test.


➢ Most students did not pass the test.
➢ No student passed the test.
➢ All students passed the test.

Using the principle of relative probability, the following table shows the

probability distribution of the survey and the theoretical probability of passing the

examination.

Status of Student Pass Did Not Pass

Theoretical Probability 15/30=0.5 15/30=0.5

Relative Probability/ 0/30=0 30/30=1


Relative Frequency

Comparisons of the differences of the observed and theoretical frequencies for the
20 students should be considered as sufficient for an explanation of any significant
variation in determining whether or not it was possible to pass the test by randomly
selecting each answer. Barring any significant variation among the relative
frequencies, it may be reasoned that it is not possible.

The above table also shows that the relative frequency of each possible outcome is
far from the true probability (0.5) when the number of students (20) is reasonable.

[9]
This is strong evidence to claim that the results were biased. Therefore, students
are more likely to fail a multiple choice test if they guess all their answers.

Discussion of Findings/Conclusion
This experiment was carried out to determine someone’s chances in an ordinary
multiple choice test. This experiment might not seem complex enough but have
proven to be very effective in obtaining the required results. The number of
students, 40, may be considered sufficient for obtaining relative frequencies
and relative probability for the experiment.

[10]
Recommendations
❖ Increasing the number of students should result in more accurate data.
❖ Increasing the number of questions should increase the chances of some
students attaining more marks which would make the results more accurate.

[11]
Bibliography
CESC Examination 2015 Grade 11 Social Studies Paper 1. (2015). Guyana: Caribbean Examinations
Council.

[12]
Appendix

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