One researcher took a random sample of size 10 and estimated a 95 percent confidence interval for the average home price in an area to be $180,000 ± $40,000; another researcher took a random sample of size 20 and obtained a 95 percent confidence interval of $200,000 ± $30,000.

a. How would you use both of these studies to obtain a 95 percent confidence interval of a ± b? (You do not need to do any calculations; simply explain how you would proceed.)

b. Explain why you think that the value of a is larger than, smaller than, or equal to $190,000.

c. Explain why you think that the value of b is larger than, smaller than, or equal to $30,000.