Question

The paper "Pathological Video-Game Use Among Youth Ages 8 to 18: A National Study" (Psychological Science [2009]: \(594-601\) ) summarizes data from a random sample of 1,178 students ages 8 to 18 . The paper reported that for the students in the sample, the mean amount of time spent playing video games was 13.2 hours per week. The researchers were interested in using the data to estimate the mean amount of time spent playing video games for students ages 8 to 18 .

Short answer

The estimated mean amount of time that students aged from 8 to 18 spend playing video games in one week is 13.2 hours.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the provided data

In this case, we have a sample size of 1,178 students aged 8 to 18. The mean amount of time they spend playing video games per week is 13.2 hours. The data comes from a random sample, which gives a certain level of indication that it is representative of the larger population.

Using the sample mean as an estimate for the population mean

Since the sample size is significantly large (1,178 students), it is safe to use the sample mean as an estimate for the population mean. So, the estimated mean amount of time all students aged from 8 to 18 spend playing video games would be the same as our sample mean, i.e., 13.2 hours per week.

Concluding the result

The research conducted on a random ample of 1,178 students suggests that the mean amount of time spent playing video games for students aged 8 to 18 is around 13.2 hours per week. It is important to keep in mind that this is an estimate, and the actual mean time can differ.