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[Phys-L] Re: Math SAT



Joe Bellina wrote:

I am seeing all this wonderful news of an increase in the average SAT
from 518 to 520. Am I wrong or is this nothing
hype. Isn't a change of 2 points in the noise?

Let s = the standard deviation of student scores. Assuming a very large
population of students, of which only N take the test, the standard
deviation of the mean of the scores is s/sqrt(N), where N = the number
of students taking the SAT.

As a quick estimate: Let s = 100 pt
N = 50 states x (100 high schools/state)
x (100 students taking SAT/high school) = 5 x 10^5

So standard deviation of the mean is 100/sqrt(5x10^5) = 0.14 pt.

If my estimates of s and N are any where close to reality, the 2 point
rise appears highly significant.

Don Polvani
Northrop Grumman Corp.

-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On
Behalf Of jbellina
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 2:30 PM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Math SAT

I am seeing all this wonderful news of an increase in the average SAT
from 518 to 520. Am I wrong or is this nothing hype. Isn't a change of
2 points in the noise?

joe