Random sampling is a method of selecting a subset of a population to represent the entire population. It is important because it allows researchers to make inferences about the population based on the sample. There are many different methods of random sampling, but the most common are simple random sampling, systematic random sampling, and stratified random sampling.
Simple random sampling is the most basic type of random sampling. Each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample. Systematic random sampling is similar to simple random sampling, but the sample is selected at regular intervals from a list of the population. Stratified random sampling is used when the population is divided into different strata, such as age groups or genders. A random sample is then selected from each stratum.