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Testing the Bus-Fare Hypothesis
A student investigated the use of public transport in their local area by testing the following hypothesis: ‘The cost of fares is the most important factor in encouraging the use of local bus services.’
For one part of the enquiry the student interviewed 50 people to assess views about the local bus service. Figure 4 shows the results of the interviews.
| Aspect of the local bus service | Very poor | Poor | Reasonable | Good | Very good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of fares | 16 | 21 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Availability | 7 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| Punctuality | 16 | 13 | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| Cleanliness | 0 | 8 | 29 | 9 | 4 |
| What would encourage you to use the local bus service more frequently? | Number of people |
|---|---|
| Cheaper fares | 23 |
| Increased frequency | 14 |
| Shorter journey times | 11 |
| Increased parking charges | 2 |
Suggest the conclusion(s) that the student might reach in relation to the original hypothesis, ‘The cost of fares is the most important factor in encouraging the use of local bus services.’
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Study the marking See what earns credit and compare it with a full-mark answer.
Marking points
- 1 States a conclusion that directly addresses whether cost is the most important factor.
- 2 Provides supporting data/development or a second valid comparative observation.
Full-mark answer
The hypothesis is partly supported because cheaper fares were the largest single response, chosen by 23 of the 50 people. However, the other three encouragements together were chosen by 27 people, so cost was significant but was not more important than all the other factors combined.
Why this answer loses marks
Yes, cheaper fares are important.
This does not test the “most important” wording against the full results or qualify the conclusion with comparative evidence.