MATH245 Practice assignment 2

1. Which of the following is true about the characteristics of a screening test?

(a) A highly sensitive screening test yields a very low number of false positive results
(b) If a screening test is 99% specific, 99% of negative cases are diagnosed negative (c) A
screening test is used to confirm disease and prescribe treatments
(d) None of the above

2. Sensitivity of a screening test is _______

(a) The probability of disease knowing that the test is positive

(b) The probability of disease knowing that the test is negative
(c) The probability of a positive test knowing that the patient has a disease
(d) The probability of negative test knowing that the patient has no disease

3. A positive predictive value of a test was 0.2. which of the following is true:

A. The probability of a positive test result knowing that the patient has disease positive is 20%
B. The probability of disease knowing that the test is positive is 20%
C. The prevalence of the disease in the population is 20%
D. A and B
E. All of the above

4. In the blood bank, technicians should make sure that the donor unit is free of blood-borne viruses
such as HIV. The test used to check HIV in the donor unit should have

A. High sensitivity
B. High specificity
C. Low specificity
D. Low sensitivity

5. Which of the following statements is true about the precision and accuracy in epidemiology?

a. A test is described as precise when its results are close to the true value and close to each other
b. A test is described as precise when its results are close to each other
c. A test is described as accurate when its results are close to each other d. All of the above

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

The following box plot displays the blood glucose level among 2 groups: diabetics (Yes): Figure on the right
and the non-diabetic (No): Figure on the left.

1. Describe the shape of the distribution of the non-diabetic group (No): Figure to the right.

A. Negatively Skewed
B. Skewed to the right
C. Symmetric
D. None of the above

2. Describe the shape of the distribution of the diabetic group (Yes): Figure to the right. A.
Negatively Skewed
B. Symmetric
C. Skewed to the right
D. None of the above

3. Compare the standard deviation among the two groups (diabetic and non-diabetics).

A. The standard deviation is lower among diabetics.

B. The standard deviation is equal in the two groups.
C. The standard deviation is higher among the diabetic group.
D. We cannot compare standard deviations between the two groups.

4. In the diabetic group (Yes): Figure to the right. Which of the following values is an outlier?

A. 200 mg/dl/ B.
300 mg/dl/

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2
C. 400 mg/dl/ D.
120 mg/dl/

5. The following histogram implies that

A. The majority of the participant have urinary iodine excretion levels less thang/L
99.9
B. Data is skewed to the right
C. The majority of the participant have urinary iodine excretion levels between-300100
g/L
D. The distribution is symmetrical

The following histograms display blood glucose level for two groups of patients. Consider that
the normal range of blood glucose level is 72 to 110 mg/ dL.

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

6. Describe the shape of the distribution in the first figure (figure on the left)

A. Negatively Skewed B.
Skewed to the right
C. Symmetric
D. None of the above

7. Which figure (left or right) represent the diabetic patients?

A. Right
B. Left
C. Both
D. None of the above

PROBLEM 1. A new test is developed for the detection of carcinoma of the prostate.(Foti et al. N Engl. J
Med. 1977). When it is tested in a group of 113 patients with prostatic cancer, 79 have a positive test.

In a group of 217 individuals without prostatic cancer, 10 have a positive test.

a) What is the specificity and sensitivity of the test?

b) Calculate FP rate and FN rate
c) In patients with palpable prostatic nodules, the prevalence of prostatic cancer is 0.5%. The test under
these conditions has a sensitivity of 80%. Assuming the specificity is 95%, what is the probability that
a patient with a positive test result having prostatic cancer? (10 marks)

:Solution

a)Sn=(TP/TP+FN)=(79/113)=0.699 ./SP=(TN/TN+EP)=(207/217)=0.95

b)FP rate=(FP/FP+TN)=10/10+207=0.04

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2
FN rate =(FN/FN+TP)=34/34+79=0.43

c)PPV=(TP/TP+FP)=79/79+10=0.887

NPV=(TN/TN+FN)=207/207+34=0.858

P(D/+)=(Sn×Prevalence)/(Sn×P+(1-SP)(1-P))

=(0.8×0.005)/(0.8×0.005+(1-0.95)(1-0.005))

=0.074×100=7.44%=8%

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

Problem 2. The following table gives the age distribution for 50 Brucellosis cases enrolled in a study.

Age (years) Number of Brucellosis cases

25-34 4
35-44 5
45-54 6
55-64 8
65-74 10
75-84 9
85-94 8

Draw a histogram and a frequency polygon. (10 marks)

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

Problem 3. The following data represent an ordered array of the ages of a sample of 9 patients in a
hospital X. Calculate the Quartiles and the IQR. Draw a Box Whisker. (10 marks). Calculate the mean and
the variance.

Ordered Array Data sample:

11 12 13 16 16 17 18 21 22

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

Q2=n=9(old) MO=x(n+1/2)=x(5)= 16
Q1=n=4(even) Q1=(12+13/2)=12.5
Q3=(18+21/2)=19.5 -x=16.22
s`2=(9×2484-146`2)/ 9×8=14.44
£x`2=2484 IQX=Q3-Q1=7

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MATH245 Practice assignment 2

Good Luck

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