Difference Between Two Proportions

Using the normal approximation,

Z

Ps1 Ps 2
1
1
p 1 p

n1 n2

where,

Ps1 Sample proportion in population 1.

Ps 2 Sample proportion in population 2.
p pooled estimate of population proportion.

X1 = # of successes in sample 1
X2 = # of successes in sample 2
n1 = sample size for group 1
n2 = sample size for group 2
X

Ps1 = n 1
1

Ps2 = n 2
2

and

X1 X 2

n1 n2

We use this test to compare two proportions. We are trying to determine

whether the difference between two proportions is statistically significant or just
sampling error.

(Example 1)
Compare death rates of liver transplants at 2 hospitals. Test at =.05
Hospital A 77/100 died within 6 months
Hospital B 120/200 died
within 6 months

 0 : P1 P2
1 : P1 P2

PS 1 .77
Ps 2 .60

77 120 197

.657
300
300
.77 .60
1
1
(.657)(.343)(

100 200)

Reject H0

.17
2.93
.058

P < .05.

(Example 2)
Unemployment rates in 2 Counties. Is there a difference in the unemployment
Test at = .05.

rates?

County A: 100/400 Unemployed (25%)

County B: 44/200 Unemployed (22%)
0 : P1 P2
1 : P1 P2

Ps1 .25
Ps 2 .22
p

144
.24
600

.25 .22

.24 .76

1
1

400 200

.03
.81
.037

Do not reject H0. P > .05.

(Example 3)
Is there a difference between the two suppliers in proportion of defectives?
Test at =.05
Suppler A: 24/80 chips =defective
Suppler B: 30/60 chips =defective
0 : P1 P2
1 : P1 P2
PS 1 .30
Ps 2 .50

54
.386
140

.30 .50

.386 .614

Reject H0

1
1

80 60

.20
2.41
.083

P <. 05.

(Example 4)
Effect of estrogen on Alzheimers disease
Test at =.05
Women receiving estrogen: 7/100 developed Alzheimer
Women not receiving estrogen: 27/150 developed Alzheimer
PS 1 .07
Ps 2 .18
0 : P1 P2
1 : P1 P2

34
.136
250
.07 .18

.136 .864

Reject H0

1
1

100 150

.11
2.5
.044

P < .05.

(Example 5)
Direct Mail Should Company use Sweepstakes. Test at =.05

Sweepstakes

No
Sweepstakes

5,000
100

4,000
60

Mailed Out
# of Orders
0 : P1 P2
1 : P1 P2

PS 1 .020
Ps 2 .015
p 160 / 9000 .018

.020 .015

.018 .982

Do not reject H0.

1
1

5,000 4,000

.005
1.79
.0028

P > .05.

(Example 6)
Who does better under adverse conditions, men or women?
Donner Party: Caught in blizzard and stranded in mountains for 6 months
without food.
Women:
Men:

10/34 died
30/53 died

0 : P1 P2
1 : P1 P2

PS 1 .294
Ps 2 .566
p 40 / 87 .46

.294 .566

.46 .54

1
1

34 53

.272
2.48
.1095

Reject H0.
P < .05 The difference in death rates between men and women was
statistically significant. This study was published by Donald K. Grayson in a
journal. His theory was that women have more fat on them (this is necessary so
that the fetus will survive even if there is an insufficient amount of food) than
men. This enables them to do better in times of famine.

(Real Example)
Interesting study published in Family Practice: Two groups were compared: One
group of subjects were exposed to the cold by placing their feet in ice water; the other
group (control group) placed their feet in an empty pail. 26/90 in first group
developed cold within five days; 8/90 in control group developed colds. Is difference
statistically significant? (Yes, Z = 3.45 p< .05).
Researchers concluded that mothers are right and not wearing enough clothing in the
winter and thus becoming chilled can lead to colds.

Matched T-Test (Optional Topic)

(non-independent samples, not two groups)
If you do this in MS Excel, this test is known as the

t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means

(Example 1)
X1(Before)

X2(After)

D=(X1-X2)

D2

150
160
155
170
150
145
170
160
165
160

130
145
150
162
140
125
155
140
163
160

20
15
5
8
10
20
15
20
2
0
115

400
225
25
64
100
400
225
400
4
0
1,843

H0 : D 0

( mean difference is 0)

H1 : D 0

t9

SD / n

n D 2 ( D) 2
n 1

t9

115
10(1843) (115)
9

115
4.78
24.05

Reject H0 at P<.05. There is a significant difference between the before and after
measures.

(Example 2)
X1(Before)

X2(After)

D=(X1-X2)

D2

12
4
17
3
5
18
15
14
8
6
16
15

15
9
16
9
5
14
7
8
1
17
25
12

-3
-5
1
-6
0
4
8
6
7
-11
-9
3
-5

9
25
1
36
0
16
64
36
49
121
81
9
447

0 : D 0
1 : D 0

t11

5
5(447) ( 5) 2
11

5
.23
22

Do Not Reject H0. P >.05. Difference is not significant.

10