Confidence Interval - Mean

Purpose
To estimate the true mean of a continuous CT characteristic within a range of values based on observations from a sample. A pre-assigned probability called confidence level is used to determine this range of values. For a confidence level of 95%, we can say that we have a 95% percent chance that the confidence interval contains the true mean of the CT characteristic.

Anatomy

Confidence Interval - Mean

B C A

x t
2
E

;n 1

s n
D

x t
2

;n 1

s n

F H

LCL
Six Sigma - Tools & Concepts

UCL
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Reference:

Jurans Quality Control Handbook - Ch. 23 P. 45-50, Business Statistics by Downing and Clark - Ch. 11 P. 211-218

Terminology
A. True or Population Mean. B. Sample Mean. C. Sample Standard Deviation. D. Sample Size (n). E. Tabulated Student (t) distribution value with risk /2 and n-1 degrees of freedom. F. Lower Confidence Limit (LCL).

G. Upper Confidence Limit (UCL). H. A representation of a confidence interval. For a confidence level of 95%, we can say that we have a 95% percent chance that the true mean is somewhere in the interval between the Lower Confidence Limit (LCL) and the Upper Confidence Limit (UCL).

Major Considerations
The assumption for using this interval is that the data comes from a normal distribution. The use of the Student (t) distribution is for sample sizes of less than 30. When the sample size is greater or equal to 30, the standard normal distribution (Z) is generally used. However, as the sample size increases, the t distribution approaches the Z distribution (see Tool Distribution t).

Application Cookbook
1. Collect a sample of data from the process. Use the function under Stat>Basic Statistics>1 Sample t. Select the Confidence interval option and enter a confidence level, usually this level is 95% (default setting). The results will appear in Minitab Session Window output. 2. Analyze data with Minitab:

Minitab Session Window output :

Confidence Intervals Variable Data N 25 Mean StDev SE Mean 1.929 0.932 0.186 95.0 % CI (1.544, 2.313)

Note 1: If the sample size is used.

30, the function under Stat>Basic Statistics>1 Sample Z can be

Note 2: There is another function that can be used to obtain the confidence interval for the mean under Stat>Basic Statistics>Descriptive Statistics>Graphs>Graphical Summary. This function presents not only this interval but also descriptive statistics and graphical representations.