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Use the Following Information to Answer the Next Question. Many Gardeners Believe That Certain Edible Herbs, Like Oregano, Sage, and

Question

Use the following information to answer the next question. Many gardeners believe that certain edible herbs, like oregano, sage, and rosemary, taste better if deprived of water and nutrients. You decide to test the hypothesis that the frequency of watering influences the flavor of sage. You grow two sage plants from seed, side-by-side in two separate pots. You water one every other day (as a control treatment) and the other only once a week (as an experimental treatment) Then you invite 50 people over for a taste test. Each receives two samples of sage leaves, marked as "A"and "B" so that they do not know which sample is from which treatment. Your friends rate each sample's flavor on a scale of 1-5 You compare the average scores for each plant. Q3.10. As with any experiment, your setup has limitations. Which of the following ideas for increasing replication is MOST likely to improve your ability to test the hypothesis that watering frequency affects the taste of sage in general? Increase the number of leaf samples taken from each plant. Increase the number of sage plants in the experimental group. Increase the number of sage plants in both control and experimental groups. Do the same test on rosemary and oregano in addition to sage.

Solution

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Answer

To improve the ability to test the hypothesis that watering frequency affects the taste of sage in general, increasing replication is crucial. Replication helps ensure that the results are reliable and not due to random chance or specific conditions.Among the options provided:1. **Increase the number of leaf samples taken from each plant**: This would increase the sample size of leaves but does not address variability between different plants, which is important for generalizing the results.2. **Increase the number of sage plants in the experimental group**: This increases replication for the experimental treatment but does not balance the control group, which is necessary for a fair comparison.3. **Increase the number of sage plants in both control and experimental groups**: This option increases replication across both treatments, allowing for a more robust comparison and better generalization of the results.4. **Do the same test on rosemary and oregano, in addition to sage**: While this adds variety to the experiment, it does not directly increase replication for sage, which is the focus of the hypothesis.The most effective way to increase replication and improve the ability to test the hypothesis about sage specifically is to **increase the number of sage plants in both control and experimental groups**. This ensures that any observed differences in taste are more likely attributable to the watering frequency rather than individual plant variation.