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I imagine I'm going to kick myself in the butt after this, but I'm having difficulty on question number 10 of the homework.

Z = (x-bar - mean)/standard deviation/sqrt(n)

In the example, it gives (43.8-45)/3.82/(sqrt63) = -2.493
I'm getting -0.03957743 or -.040 rounded to three as the question asks.
I can't seem to figure out what I'm messing up, or if there is an unlisted step that I'm completely overlooking.
 Apr 18, 2013
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by definition (see Formulary: Basic Identities) a/b=a*(1/b) .
for a=(43.8-45)=-1.2 and b=3.82/sqrt(63)=3.82/7.937253933193772=0.481274762298415989 =>
=> a/b=-1.2*(1/0.481274762298415989)=-2.493378198909038323563 hence
(43.8-45)/3.82/(sqrt63)=-2.493378198909038323563

But the Rules of Precedence (a universal convention) tell us to apply operations in the following order:
"When two operations with the same precedence occur together, they are performed from left to right, i.e. in the order that they are read."

In your expression we have two divisions.

So (43.8-45)/3.82/(sqrt63)=((43.8-45)/3.82)/(sqrt63)=-0.314136/7.937253933193772=-0.03957743 hence
the correct answer according to the rules of precedence must be
(43.8-45)/3.82/(sqrt63)=-0.03957743
 Apr 23, 2013

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