WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Graduate School

Luna St., La Paz, Iloilo City

FND 503

Statistics

Discussants: Desiree Belle Zuñiga Course Professor: Elvira L. Arellano, Ph. D.

Ruth Ar-Tee D. Pagunsan

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T-Test for Independent Samples

The t-test is a test of difference between two independent groups. In this test, the means are being compared.

( X1 against X 2 ). The t-test for independent samples is used to compare two sample means to determine whether
the population means are significantly different. The t-test for independent samples compares the means of two
independent groups in order to determine whether there is statistical evidence that the associated population means
are significantly different. The t-test for independent samples is a parametric test.

When do we use the t-test for independent samples?

 When we compare the means of two independent groups.

 When the data are normally distributed.

 When data are expressed in interval and ratio.

 When the sample is less than 30. (n<30)

The variables used in this test are known as:

 Dependent Variable (should be an interval or ratio data), or test variable

 Independent Variable, or grouping variable

In T-Test for Independent Samples, we use the formula:

Where:

t = t-test

X1  X 2 X1 = the mean of group 1

t 
 SS1  SS2  1 1
    X 2 = the mean of group 2
 n1  n2  2  n1 n2 
SS1 = the sum of squares of group 1

SS2 = the sum of squares of group 1

n1 = the number of observations in group 1

n2 = the number of observations in group 2

Example 1:

The following are the scores in spelling of 10 male and 10 female AB students. Test the null hypothesis that there is
no significant difference between the performance of male and female AB students in spelling.

Male Scores: 14 18 17 16 4 14 12 10 9 17

Female Scores: 12 9 11 5 10 3 7 2 6 13

Male (X1) Female (X2) Male ( X1 ) X 12 Female ( X 2 ) X 22

14 12 14 196 12 144
18 9 18 324 9 81
17 11 17 289 11 121
16 5 16 256 5 25
4 10 4 16 10 100
14 3 14 196 3 9
12 7 12 144 7 49
10 2 10 100 2 4
9 6 9 81 6 36
17 13 17 289 13 169

X1  131 X 12  1891 X 2  78 X 22  738

n1  10 n2  10

X1  13.1 X 2  7.8

Steps:

1. ) Compute the sum of group 1 ( X1  131 ) and the sum of group 2 ( X 2  78 ).

2. ) Determine the number of observations in group 1 ( n1  10 ) and group 2 ( n2  10 ).

3. ) Compute the sum of the squares of group 1 ( X 1  1891 ) and group 2 ( X 2  738 ).
2 2

4. ) Compute the means of group 1 ( X 1  13.1 ) and group 2 ( X 2  7.8 ).

To solve for the mean:

X 1
Group 1: X 1 
n1

X 2
Group 2: X 2 
n2

5. ) Compute the SS1 of group 1 and the SS2 of group 2.

 To solve:

( X1 )2 ( X 2 )2
SS1  X 12  SS2  X 22 
n1 n2

(131)2 (78)2
SS1  1891  SS2  738 
10 10

SS1  1891  1716.1

SS2  129.6

6. ) Solve for the t-value.

X1  X 2 5.3
t  t 
 SS1  SS2  1 1 16.92.2
   
 1
n  n2  2  1
n n2 
5.3
t 
13.1  7.8 3.8396
t 
 174.9  129.6  1 1 5 .3
    t 
 10  10  2  10 10  1.8395
5 .3 t  2.88
t 
 304.5 
 .1  .1
 18 

Testing the Hypothesis:

Problem: Is there a significant difference between the performance of the male and the female AB students in
Spelling?

1. ) Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis (Ho): There is no significant difference between the performance of the male and the female AB
students in spelling.

X1  X 2

Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): There is a significant difference between the performance of the male and the
female AB students in spelling.

X1  X 2
 2. ) Level of significance (  ) = .05, two-tailed

Degree of freedom (df) = n1 + n2 - 2

df = 10 + 10 -2 = 18

Critical value: 2.101

2.5%
2.5%

-2.101 2.101
3. ) Test: t-test for independent samples

4. ) Compute: t = 2.88

5. ) Statistical Decision: Reject Ho

6. ) Conclusion: Since the computed value of 2.88 is greater than the critical value of 2.101 at .05 level of
significance with 18 degrees of freedom, the null hypothesis is rejected. This means that there is a significant
difference between the performance of the male and the female AB students in spelling. This result implies that
the male students performed better than the female students considering that the mean score of the male
students of 13.1 is greater compared to the mean score of female students of only 7.8.

In Using SPSS:

 To run a T-Test for Independent Samples in SPSS, click Analyze --> Compare Means -->
Independent Samples T-Test

 Move the dependent variable to the test variable box and the independent variable to the grouping
variable box.

 Then click Define Groups. Specify the value for each group depending of the assigned number for
each group.

Note: , Reject Ho

Let’s check example number 1 using the SPSS:

Compute: F = .087, p = .010

Decision: Reject Ho

Conclusion: There is a significant

difference between the performance of
the male and the female AB students in
spelling, F = .087, p = .010, t = 2.881, p
= .010. This result implies that the male
students performed better than the
female students considering that the
mean score of the male students of 13.1
is greater compared to the mean score
of female students of only 7.8.
Example 2:

Two groups of experimental rats were injected with a tranquilizer at 1.0 mg and 1.5 mg dose respectively. The time
given in seconds that took them to fall asleep is hereby given.

1.0 mg 9.8 13.2 11.2 9.5 13.0 12.1 9.8 12.3 7.9 10.2 9.7

1.5 mg 12.0 7.4 9.8 11.5 13.0 12.5 9.8 10.5 13.5

When computed:

t = -.40

Testing the Hypothesis:

Problem: Is there a significant difference brought about by the dosages on the length of time it took for the rats to fall
asleep?

1. ) Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis (Ho): There is no significant difference brought about by the dosages on the length of time it
took for the rats to fall asleep.

X1  X 2

Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): There is a significant difference brought about by the dosages on the length of
time it took for the rats to fall asleep.

X1  X 2

2. ) Level of significance (  ) = .01, two-tailed

Degree of freedom (df) = n1 + n2 - 2

df = 11 + 9 - 2 = 18

Critical value: 2.878

99%
 .5% .5%

-2.878 2.878

3. ) Test: t-test for independent samples

4. ) Compute: t = -.40

5. ) Statistical Decision: Do Not Reject Ho

6. ) Conclusion: Since the computed value of -.40 is within the the critical value of -2.878 at .01 level of significance
with 18 degrees of freedom, the null hypothesis is not rejected. This means that no significant difference was
brought about by the dosages on the length of time it took for the rats to fall asleep.

Using the SPSS:

Compute: F = .085, p = .696

Decision: Do Not Reject Ho

Conclusion: There is no significant

difference brought about by the
dosages on the length of time it took for
the rats to fall asleep, F = .085, p
= .696, t = .397, p = .010.

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References:
 Broto, A. (2008). Parametric Statistics. National Bookstore, Mandaluyong City.

 Narag, E. (2010). Basic Statistics With Calculator and Computer Application. Rex Bookstore, Manila Philippines.