Chapter 6.1, Problem 6.24E

(a)

To determine

To find out is this an experiment or an observational study and explain why.

Answer to Problem 6.24E

This is an observational study.

Explanation of Solution

This is an observational study because no treatment was imposed.

(b)

To determine

To give an example of a possible confounding variable and a clear explanation of why it is a possible confounding variable.

Explanation of Solution

A confounding variable could be that women are typically given larger beds than men. Therefore, the likelihood of a woman falling out of a larger bed is smaller than a man falling out of a smaller bed.