Question at position 3 A company that sells baby food is interested in the baby food preferences of all families with toddlers from a certain city. A representative from the company sets up a booth at one grocery store in the city that will be used to investigate baby food preference. The representative will ask people with toddlers who walk past the booth to complete the survey. Which of the following best describes the sampling method the company will use? 4ST38Convenience samplingSystematic random samplingCluster samplingSimple random samplingStratified random sampling单项选择题
A
Convenience sampling
B
Systematic random sampling
C
Cluster sampling
D
Simple random sampling
E
Stratified random sampling

Question

Question at position 3 A company that sells baby food is interested in the baby food preferences of all families with toddlers from a certain city. A representative from the company sets up a booth at one grocery store in the city that will be used to investigate baby food preference. The representative will ask people with toddlers who walk past the booth to complete the survey. Which of the following best describes the sampling method the company will use? 4ST38Convenience samplingSystematic random samplingCluster samplingSimple random samplingStratified random sampling单项选择题

A

Convenience sampling

B

Systematic random sampling

C

Cluster sampling

D

Simple random sampling

E

Stratified random sampling

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Convenience sampling selects subjects who are easiest to reach, so the booth-at-one-store approach is a classic example.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Convenience sampling: selecting participants based on ease of access (e.g., volunteers, passersby at a single location).
- Simple random sampling: every member of the population has an equal chance of selection, usually requiring a sampling frame and randomized selection.
- Systematic random sampling: selecting every k-th individual from an ordered list or stream after a random start.
- Cluster sampling: dividing the population into clusters (often geographic), then randomly selecting entire clusters and surveying all or random units within them.
- Stratified random sampling: dividing the population into strata (e.g., age groups) and taking random samples from each stratum.

2. Step-by-step reasoning process
- The company places a booth at one grocery store and asks people who walk past to complete the survey.
- Participants are chosen because they happen to be present and willing to respond, not by random mechanism or designed selection rules.
- There is no frame of all families with toddlers, no randomization, no systematic interval, no division into clusters or strata.

3. Intermediate steps / checks
- Is there equal chance for all families in the city? No — only those who shop at that store and pass the booth have any chance.
- Is there a random rule like every 10th person? No.
- Is the city divided into clusters with randomly chosen stores? No.
Thus the selection method matches convenience sampling.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
Convenience sampling specifically describes selecting readily available individuals (store patrons who walk by) rather than using random or structured selection. This yields quick, low-cost data but is prone to selection bias and not representative.

5. Why the other options are incorrect
- Systematic random: would require a rule like every k-th toddling parent; not used here.
- Cluster: would require random selection of clusters (e.g., randomly chosen stores) and surveying within them; here only one store was used without random cluster choice.
- Simple random: would require that every family in the city had equal chance; not satisfied.
- Stratified random: would require dividing into strata and randomly sampling within them; not done.