A market research company wants to understand the shopping preferences of adults in a city. They decide to conduct a survey and use the following approach: First,they divide the city into different neighborhoods. Then they randomly select five neighborhoods. Within each selected neighborhood, they survey all adults. Which type of sampling technique is being used in this scenario?

The sampling technique being used in this scenario is called **cluster sampling**.<br /><br />In cluster sampling, the population is divided into separate groups, known as clusters. Then, a random sample of clusters is selected. All individuals within the chosen clusters are surveyed. In this case, the city is divided into different neighborhoods (clusters), and then five neighborhoods are randomly selected. All adults within these selected neighborhoods are surveyed.<br /><br />This method is different from other sampling techniques such as simple random sampling, stratified sampling, and systematic sampling. Cluster sampling is often used when it is more cost-effective or convenient to sample entire groups or clusters rather than individuals within those groups.