The article "The Largest Last Supper: Depictions of Food Portions and Plate Size Increase Over the
Millennium" describes a study in which each painting in a sample of 52 paintings of The Last Supper was
analyzed by comparing the size of the food plates in the painting to the head sizes of the people in the
painting. For paintings that were painted prior to the year 1500, the estimated average plate-to-head size
ratio was smaller than this ratio for the paintings that were painted after the year 1500.

(a) The original sample consisted of 52 paintings. These paintings were then divided into two samples
consisting of 30 painted before 1500 and 22 painted after 1500. What are the two populations of
interest?

The two populations are head size and plate size in paintings of The Last Supper.
The two populations are people born prior to the year 1500, and people born after the year
1500.
The two populations are artists painting prior to the year 1500, and artists painting after the
year 1500.
The two populations are paintings of The Last Supper made prior to the year 1500, and
paintings of The Last Supper made after the year 1500.

(b) What population characteristics are being estimated?

the plate sizes in paintings of The Last Supper
the head sizes in paintings of The Last Supper
the plate-to-head size ratios in paintings of The Last Supper
the number of paintings of The Last Supper made after the year 1500
the number of paintings of The Last Supper made prior to the year 1500

(c) Suppose that the paintings selected for analysis were selected at random from all paintings that
portray The Last Supper. Do you think that the estimate produced for average plate-to-head size ratio
for paintings made before 1500 is likely to be less accurate than the corresponding estimate for
paintings made after 1500? Explain.

Yes, the estimate of average plate-to-head size ratio would be more accurate for paintings
made after 1500 because the sample size is larger.
Yes, the estimate of average plate-to-head size ratio would be more accurate for paintings
made after 1500 because the sample size is smaller.
No, the estimate of average plate-to-head size ratio would be more accurate for paintings
made before 1500 because the sample size is larger.
No, the estimate of average plate-to-head size ratio would be more accurate for paintings
made before 1500 because the sample size is smaller