A group of experimenters has 30 hummingbirds in a large container and needs to assign 10 to each of the three groups labeled A, B, and C for an experiment. They can capture the hummingbirds one at a time when the hummingbirds enter a side chamber in the container that is baited with food. Which of the following methods is most likely to result in three comparable groups of 10 hummingbirds each?

E.) Place each hummingbird in its own numbered container (numbered from 1–30) in the order that it was caught. Write the numbers from 1 to 30 on slips of paper, put the slips in a jar, and mix them well. Pick 10 numbers out of the jar. Assign the hummingbirds in the containers with those numbers to group A. Pick 10 more numbers for group B. Assign the remaining hummingbirds to group C.

Explanation:

This is the only method that provides truely random results. Using Simple Random Sampling.

A.) This is wrong because it uses a convenience sample

B.) Wrong because it involves you picking out which birds to assign to each group (Leading to bias)

C.) Rolling an even number isn't a good way to get random results.

D.) Again, rolling a dice isnt the best way to get random results.

E. Correct since it is the only answer that uses a proven method to get random results (Simple Random Sampling)