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This document discusses how to calculate the appropriate sample size needed to estimate a population proportion. It provides the formula used which includes factors like confidence level, margin of error, and estimated proportion. An example calculation is shown to find the needed sample size of 385 patients to estimate the proportion satisfied with hospital care at a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error.

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44 views2 pages

Ans 3

This document discusses how to calculate the appropriate sample size needed to estimate a population proportion. It provides the formula used which includes factors like confidence level, margin of error, and estimated proportion. An example calculation is shown to find the needed sample size of 385 patients to estimate the proportion satisfied with hospital care at a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error.

Uploaded by

Shubham imts
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ANS 3

Sample Size Calculation for Proportions:

When conducting research to estimate the proportion of a population with a specific characteristic,
such as patient satisfaction in a hospital, it is crucial to determine the appropriate sample size. This
sample size should be sufficient to provide a reliable estimate of the population proportion while
maintaining a desired level of confidence.

Formula for Sample Size Calculation:

The formula used for calculating the required sample size for estimating a population proportion is
as follows:

\[n = \frac{Z^2 \cdot p \cdot (1-p)}{E^2}\]

Where:

- \(n\) represents the required sample size.

- \(Z\) is the Z-score associated with the desired confidence level. For a 95% confidence level, \(Z\) is
approximately 1.96. This value corresponds to the critical value of the standard normal distribution,
which captures the central 95% of the distribution's area.

- \(p\) is the estimated proportion of the population that possesses the characteristic of interest (in
this case, patients satisfied with hospital care). If an estimate is not available, a common practice is
to use 0.5, which maximizes the required sample size and is considered a conservative estimate.

- \(E\) is the desired margin of error, expressed as a proportion (e.g., 5% as 0.05).

Calculation with Given Values:

In this scenario, the researcher wants to estimate the proportion of patients satisfied with the
quality of care provided in the hospital with a 5% margin of error (0.05) and a 95% confidence level
(corresponding to a Z-score of approximately 1.96).

Now, let's calculate the required sample size:

\[n = \frac{(1.96)^2 \cdot 0.5 \cdot (1-0.5)}{(0.05)^2}\]

Simplifying the equation:

\[n = \frac{3.8416 \cdot 0.25}{0.0025}\]


\[n = \frac{0.9604}{0.0025}\]

\[n \approx 384.16\]

Rounding up to the nearest whole number (since you can't have a fraction of a patient):

\[n \approx 385\]

Interpretation:

Based on the calculations, the researcher should sample approximately 385 patients to estimate the
proportion of patients satisfied with the quality of care provided in the hospital with a margin of
error of 5% and a confidence level of 95%. This means that if the researcher collects data from 385
patients and finds that a certain proportion of them are satisfied, they can reasonably infer that the
true proportion in the entire patient population falls within a 95% confidence interval around their
estimate.

A larger sample size could provide a more precise estimate, but it would also be more resource-
intensive. Conversely, a smaller sample size might lead to a wider margin of error and lower
confidence in the estimate. The chosen sample size balances the need for accuracy with practical
considerations.

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