DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

STO. CRISTO, TARLAC CITY, PHILIPPINES 2300

Hypothesis Testing (Population Mean)

Lesson Duration [2-3 hours]

Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
 understand the concept behind hypothesis testing;
 distinguish null hypothesis from alternative hypothesis;
 understand the concept of Type I and Type II errors;
 determine critical values for hypothesis testing;
 conduct significance test with reference to a region of acceptance;
 make decision about the null hypothesis; and
 Interpret the result.

I. Hypothesis Testing is a decision-making process for evaluating claims about a population based on the characteristics
of a sample purportedly coming from that population. The decision whether the characteristics is acceptable or not.
 Hypothesis is a proposed explanation, assertion, or assumption about a population parameter or about the
distribution of a random variable. It is a supposition advanced as a basis for argument. It is tested using statistical
methods, generally using experimental samples.

II. Basic Components

A. Null Hypothesis (Ho)
 A statement that there is no difference between the parameter and a specific value, or that there is no
difference between two parameters.
 Usually represents a statement of “no effect”, “no difference”, or “things haven’t changed”.
 A statement that is under investigation or being tested.
 Often historical value, a claim, or a production specification.
 Always contains the “=” symbols.

B. Alternative Hypothesis (H1 or Ha)

 A statement that there is a difference between a parameter and a specific value, or that there is a
difference between two parameters.
 A statement that you will adopt in the situation in which the evidence (data) is so strong that you reject Ho.
 Remember: A statistical test is designed to assess the strength of the evidence (data) against Ho.

C. Level of Significance (α)

 It is the probability of rejecting Ho when it is true.
 Probability of Type 1 error

D. Power of a Test (1-β)

 It is the probability of rejecting Ho when it is false.
 Probability of Type 2 error

 The power of a statistical test increases as the level of significance α increases.

 Using a larger value of α will increase the power, but it also will increase the probability of a type I error.

E. Test Statistics and Sampling Distribution

 These are mathematical tools used to measure compatibility of sample data and the null hypothesis.
 For this course, we use either Z statistics or T statistics.

F. P-value
 This is the probability of obtaining a test statistics from the sampling distribution that is as extreme as, or
more extreme (as specified by H1) than, the sample test statistics computed from the data under the assumption
that Ho is true.
1. Region of acceptance : If the test statistic falls within the region of acceptance, the null
hypothesis is not rejected. The region of acceptance is defined so that the chance of making a Type I error
is equal to the significance level.
2. Region of rejection : The set of values outside the region of acceptance.
 DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
STO. CRISTO, TARLAC CITY, PHILIPPINES 2300
G. Decision Rules
 In practice, statisticians describe these decision rules in two ways - with reference to a P-value or with
reference to a region of acceptance.
1. with reference to a P-value:
 If the P-value ≤ α, we reject Ho and say the data is statistically significant at the level α.
 If the P-value > α, we do not reject Ho
2. with reference to a region of acceptance.
 If the computed z ≤ -zɑ/2 critical value or z ≤ zɑ/2 [for two-tail test], we reject Ho; otherwise, do not
reject Ho.
 If the computed z ≤ -zɑ critical value or z ≤ zɑ [for one-tail test], we reject Ho; otherwise, do not
reject Ho.

III. Types
A. Left-Tailed (One-Tailed) Test

B. Right-Tailed (One-Tailed) Test

C. Tow-Tailed Test
 DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
STO. CRISTO, TARLAC CITY, PHILIPPINES 2300

IV. Problem Solving Examples

Example Problem 1
Rosie is an aging sheep dog in Montana who gets regular checkups from her owner, the local veterinarian.
Let x be a random variable that represents Rosie's resting heart rate (in beats per minute).
From past experience, the vet know that x has a normal distribution with σ = 12.
The vet checked the Merck Veterinary Manual and found that for dogs for this breed, μ = 115 beats per minute.
Over the past 6 weeks, Rosie's average heart rate (beats/min) measured: {93,109,110,89,112,117}
The sample mean is x = 105. The vet is concerned that Rosie's heart rate may be slowing. Do the data indicate that
this is the case
Use α=0.05
 DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
STO. CRISTO, TARLAC CITY, PHILIPPINES 2300
Example Problem 2
A researcher used a developed problem solving test randomly select 50 Grade 6 pupils.
In this sample, x = 80 and s = 10. The mean μ and the standard deviaron of the popularon used in the
standardizaron the test were 75 and 15, respecrvely.
Does the sample mean differ significantly from the population mean Use the 95% confidence level.
 DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
STO. CRISTO, TARLAC CITY, PHILIPPINES 2300
Example Problem 3
Sunspots have been observed for any centuries. Records of sunspots from ancient Persian and Chinese astronomers
go back thousands of years.
Some archaeologists think sunspot activity may somehow be related to prolonged periods of drought in the
southwestern United States.
Let x be a random variable representing the average number of sunspots observed in a four-week period.
A random sample of 40 such periods from Spanish colonial times gave the following data:

Previous studies of sunspot activity during this period indicate that σ=35.
It is thought that for thousand of years, the mean number of sunspot per 4-week period was about μ=41.
Sunspot activity above this level (or may not) be linked to gradual climate change.
Do the data indicate that the mean sunspot activity during the Spanish colonial period was higher than 41 Use
α=0.05.