Step 1 :Given a set of sample temperatures, we are asked to find the 98% confidence interval for the mean temperature. The temperatures are: 27.6, -14.3, 0.6, 43.9, 2.4, 27.7, 18.1, -4.1, 27.1, 4.5, -6, 32.9.
Step 2 :The sample size (n) is 12, as there are 12 temperatures.
Step 3 :The sample mean (\(\bar{x}\)) is calculated by adding all the sample temperatures and dividing by the sample size. The sample mean is approximately 13.37 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4 :The sample standard deviation (s) is calculated using the formula for standard deviation. The sample standard deviation is approximately 18.44.
Step 5 :For a 98% confidence interval, the Z-score (Z) is 2.33.
Step 6 :We can now calculate the confidence interval using the formula \(\bar{x} \pm Z \frac{s}{\sqrt{n}}\).
Step 7 :The lower bound of the confidence interval is calculated as \(\bar{x} - Z \frac{s}{\sqrt{n}}\), which is approximately 0.98 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 8 :The upper bound of the confidence interval is calculated as \(\bar{x} + Z \frac{s}{\sqrt{n}}\), which is approximately 25.75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 9 :Final Answer: The researcher is 98% confident that the population average temperature is within the temperature interval \(\boxed{(0.98, 25.75)}\) degrees Fahrenheit.