Population or sample?

Hey everyone, I have two questions I need help analyzing:





1.) During 1988, many cases of meningitis were diagnosed. You are working in the downtown area of your city and youve ben requested to study 30 of the cases found in your area in order to compare characteristics of these cases with those from all of the province. Is this a population or a sample and why?


Note: i'm thinkin sample.





2.) For a study of knowledge of risk factors for preterm labour, 100 women with preterm births in 1995 completed a survey. Identify the population and the sample.


i'm thinking the population is 100 women?





thanks!

Population or sample?
I would think the population is the larger group - or the group as a whole - women with preterm labor would be the population. The sample would be the small amount of the population that are studied - the 100 women
Reply:1. All of the people in the province with meningitis are the population. 30 is the sample.





2. All women who have had preterm births are the population, 100 is the sample.