The United States Bureau of Census
This site links to a wide array of census data and includes information on how census data is collected.

Numbers in Daily Life

Put your mind to it and you can probably think of quite a few examples of survey data that incorporates margins of error, random sampling, and confidence intervals. The United States uses these in unemployment figures. In the year 2000, the census may use random sampling methods instead of a total survey of the entire population. Questions arise as to whether or not this will provide an accurate picture of the country's population.

Some Other Examples
Here are some other ways in which these methods are used:

1. Product marketing
2. Clothing sizes
3. Average income
4. Gambling
5. Car repair
6. Climate figures
7. Game shows
8. Airplane crash figures
9. Product testing and manufacturing
   

If you start to think about it, you may be surprised about how often these methods come into play.

Related Resources