Which sample is representative of the population being studied?

A. To learn the in-flight seat preferences of passengers, an airline polls all its business travelers.

B. To learn how many Americans like action movies, a group of students survey people at a downtown movie theater.

C. To learn which of two writers, Charles Dickens or Leo Tolstoy, is more popular among students of literature, Dean surveyed students in one college library.

D. To learn how many students at her school spend more than $10 on books in a month, Mia speaks to every sixth student she meets in the school hallway.

First, let's break down what the difference between a sample and population is. A sample is a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like. A population is all inhabitants of a town, country, or the world. Samples are only representative of the population if the data collected is being collected in a fair manner. In answer choices A - C, the researcher is collecting data in locations specific to what is being studied. The outcome is likely to be bias because of the method in which the data is being collected. It is for that reason that the correct answer is D. To learn how many students at her school spend more than $10 on books in a month, Mia speaks to every sixth student she meets in the school hallway.