22 Factorial Experiments

The simplest case in factorial experiments is, lets we have two factors a, b at each at two
different level 0, 1 i.e. (i = 0, 1; j = 0, 1). The level of the factors can be considered as “zero level, 1st
level” or “low, high” or “absent, preset” etc. The possible treatment combinations are pn = 22 = 4.
There are four possible treatment combinations that are

a0b0, a1b0, a0b1, a1b1

An experiment is called factorial experiment if the treatments consist of all possible combinations of
several factors at several levels.

Symbols: The treatment combinations are symbolled as follows

(1) = a0b0, a = a1b0, b= a0b1, ab= a1b1

Effects in a 22 Factorial Experiment.

The main effect of factor a is denoted by A and the main effect of factor b is denoted by B,
their interaction effect is denoted by AB. Main effect is “a measure of the average change produced
by the changing the levels of the factor. i.e.

Effect of factor “a” at level b0 of factor b= a1b0 – a0b0

Effect of factor “a” at level b1 of factor b= a1b1 - a0b1

Main Effect of factor a = average change produced by changing the levels in factor a

1
A = 2 [(𝑎1 𝑏1 − 𝑎0 𝑏1 ) + (𝑎1 𝑏0 – 𝑎0 𝑏0 )]

1
A = 2 [(𝑎1 – 𝑎0 )(𝑏1 + 𝑏0 )]

By using the symbols

1
A = 2 [𝑎𝑏 − 𝑏 + 𝑎 − (1)]

1
A = 2 [(𝑎 − 1)(𝑏 + 1)]

Similarly, the Main Effect of factor “b”

1
B = 2 [(𝑎1 𝑏1 − 𝑎1 𝑏0 ) + (𝑎0 𝑏1 – 𝑎0 𝑏0 )]
 1
B = 2 [(𝑎1 + 𝑎0 )(𝑏1 − 𝑏0 )]

By using the symbols

1
B = 2 [𝑎𝑏 − 𝑎 + 𝑏 − (1)]

1
B = 2 [(𝑎 + 1)(𝑏 − 1)]

If two factors a & b were acting independently, then the effect of factor “a” at b0 and b1 or the effect
of factor “b” at a0 and a1 should be equal, but in general, they will be different. The interaction term
is “a measure of the extent to which the factors interact with each other”. Hence the interaction A x B
between the two factors, each at two different levels is as follows

1
A x B = 2 [(𝑎1 𝑏1 − 𝑎0 𝑏1 ) + (𝑎0 𝑏0 − 𝑎1 𝑏0 )]

1
A x B = 2 [(𝑎1 – 𝑎0 )(𝑏1 − 𝑏0 )]

By using the symbols

1
A x B = 2 [𝑎𝑏 − 𝑏 − 𝑎 + (1)]

1
A x B = 2 [(𝑎 − 1)(𝑏 − 1)]

The overall mean is represented by M and is the average of all the yields i.e.,

M = ¼ (a0b0 + a1b0 + a0b1 + a1b1)

M = ¼ [(a0 + a1) (b0 + b1)]

By using the symbols

M = ¼ ((1) + a + b + ab)

M = ¼ (a + 1) (b + 1)

It should be noted that the effects A, B and AB are 3 mutually orthogonal contrasts of the
yields of the 4 treatments, each based on 1 degree of freedom. The treatment combinations written in
order (standard form) i.e. (1), a, b, ab.

These effects can be written in plus minus sign table conveniently as below.
 Effects Treatments Divisor
1 a b ab
M + + + + 4
A - + - + 2
B - - + + 2
AB + - - + 2

Properties of Sign-Table:

i) Except column-last, every column has equal number for “+” and “-” signs.
ii) The sum of the signs in any column is equal to zero.
iii) The multiplication of the row “M” with any other row, the next row will remain unchanged i.e.
the row is an identity row.
iv) The product of any two rows yields a row in the table i.e. A x B = AB and AB x B = AB2⟹ A