Yes, absolutely! One year in Japan and during that time I heard them using these kinds of sentence all the time. So, yes, it is a common issue. 

I will provide a broader view for your question. You are actually asking about the following pattern: 

    (Noun)のほう(...)

Whose meaning is the one of pointing out something whenever two options are considered.

##When two options are involved
So, just start from the fact that `ほう` is put after a noun (using particle `の`) in order to say: `This one is better`. Or to indicate that the noun modified by `ほう` is the better choice.

When a question is giving you two options, generally it is necessary to express a preference. So the question can be:

    1) (Noun-A)と(Noun-B)と、どちらが速いですか。 => Between (Noun-A) and (Noun-B), which one is fast?

    2) (Noun-A)と(Noun-B)と、どちらのほうが速いですか。 => Between (Noun-A) and (Noun-B), which is the fastest?

    3) (Group)で、どれが速いですか。 => In (Group), which is fast?

    4) (Group)で、どれのほうが速いですか。 => In (Group), which is the fastest?

Possible answers can be (respectively):

    1) (Noun-A)は速いです。 => (Noun-A) is fast！

    2) (Noun-A)のほうが速いです。 => (Noun-A) is the fastest!

    3) (Group)で、(Noun)は速いです。 => In (Group), (Noun ) is fast!

    4) (Group)で、(Noun)ほうが速いです。 => In (Group), (noun) is the fastest!

As you can see, there are always two options! In the first two Qs and As it is obvious, but also when a group is involved there are two options. Consider the following example:

    あの学{が}校{っこう}の先{せん}生{せい}の中{なか}で、だれのほうが優{やさ}しいですか。 => Among the teachers in that school, who is the nicest one?

In this case there are many teachers, but you are asking to consider only one and the rest, this makes two options out of many more!

###Remarks
Sentences 1 and 3 (both Q and A), you see that I did not use `のほう`. In such case you are not pointing out the best, the most appropriate, so you are just asking for the one that is fast, that's it. You are not stressing on the fact that you need, among all, the fastest! It is an important difference. In Q and A 1 and 3 you simply want a fast one, anyone can do! But in Q and A 2 and 4 you are asking for one particular, the fastest. It is a matter of stressing on your needs!

##Understanding 一番 => Having more options
`一{いち}番{ばん}` is used, on the other hand, when more options are involved. This will let you understand when using `のほう` and when something else. So, as I said, many options. Consider the following questions:

    1a) (Noun-A)と(Noun-B)と(Noun-C)と、どれが一{いち}番{ばん}いいですか。 => Among (Noun-A), (Noun-B) and (Noun-C), which one is the best?

The answer:

    1a) (Noun-A)は、一{いち}番{ばん}いいです。 => (Noun-A) is the best!

As you can see, when you have many options, you use `一{いち}番{ばん}`. But also in this case, you can use `のほう`. The previous example can be translated like this:

    1a) (Noun-A)と(Noun-B)と(Noun-C)と、どれのほうがいいですか。 => Among (Noun-A), (Noun-B) and (Noun-C), which one is the best?

The answer:

    1a) (Noun-A)のほうがいいです。 => (Noun-A) is the best!

##So, which one to use?
The general rule is that when you have twi options, you use `のほう`, while, when you have more options, you use `一{いち}番{ばん}`. 

However, in the context of many options being involved, if you wish to remark that one option in particular the most appropriate one, you can use `のほう`.

Be careful! You cannot use `一{いち}番{ばん}` when two options are involved!

Final tip: when comparison is involved you have `より`. In these cases you use `のほう`.

##Some examples
Since I used patterns a lot, here are some examples:

Formal language:

    吉野さん (Yoshino-san)   >> この本とそれと、どちらのほうが安いですか。
    吉川さん (Yoshikawa-san) >> あの、この本のほうが安いと思いますよ。

    吉野さん (Yoshino-san)   >> ごめんね、ちょっとペンを貸してもらいませんか。
    吉川さん (Yoshikawa-san) >> ん！もちろん、どちらのほうが好きですか。
    吉野さん (Yoshino-san)   >> えと、右のほうが好きですよ。ありがとうね。

Plain style:

    エミちゃん (Emi-chan) >> ねぇ、宿題が難しかったんだよ、困っちゃったぜ〜。
    ケンちゃん (Ken-chan) >> ええ、そんなに難しくなかったんだぞ、やっぱエミちゃんは何も出来ねぇ。
    エミちゃん (Emi-chan) >> ひどいよケンちゃん！１ページのほうが難しかったよ。ケンは出来た？
    ケンちゃん (Ken-chan) >> えと、それだけ出来なかったんだ〜
    エミちゃん (Emi-chan) >> ほら！！！だれのほうが何も出来ないのだ？
    ケンちゃん (Ken-chan) >> 分かった、分かったんだよ！ごめん！