DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS 22 - FACTORIAL EXPERIMENT

FACTORIAL EXPERIMENTS

INTRODUCTION
In the experimental designs either in C.R.D or R.B.D or L.S.D , we were primarily concerned
with the comparison and estimation of the effects of a single set of treatment like varieties of wheat,
manure or different methods of cultivation etc. Such experiments which deal with one factor only,
called as simple experiments.
In factorial experiments, the effects of several factors of variation are studied and investigated
simultaneously, the treatments being all the combinations of different factors under study. In these
experiments, an attempt is made to estimate the effects of each of the factor and also the interaction
effects, i.e. the variation in the effects of one factor as a result to different levels of other factors.

22 - Factorial Experiment
Suppose there are 2 factors with 2 levels each which may effects the characteristic in which we
are interested. To study their effects. We investigate the 4 possible combinations of the levels of these
2
factors in each complete trial or in the replicate of the experiments. This experiments is call a 2
factorial experiment and can be performed in the form of CRD, RBD, LSD or in other designs as well.
Definition:
2
A factorial design with two factors, each at two levels is called a 2 - factorial design.
Yates’ Notations
The two factors are denoted by the letters A and B . The letters ' a ' and ' b ' denote one of the
two levels of each of the corresponding factors and this will be called the high level (second level). The
low level (first level) of A and B is generally expressed by the absence of the corresponding letter in the
treatment combinations. The four treatment combinations can be enumerated as follow:
Symbols used

a0 b0 ( or ) 1 : Factor A and B both at low level (first level).

a1 b0 ( or ) a : A at high level (second level) and B at low level (first level).

a0 b1 ( or ) b : A at low level (first level) and B at high level (second level).
a1 b1 ( or ) ab : Factor A and B both at high level (second level).

PREPARED BY
V.KARTHICK M.Sc.,M.Phil., (MATHEMATICS) PAGE:
DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS 22 - FACTORIAL EXPERIMENT

SIGN TABLE

Mean values → (1) (a) (b) ( ab )

Treatment Combination → a0 b0 ( or ) 1 a1 b0 ( or ) a a0 b1 ( or ) b a1 b1 ( or ) ab
Sign of two levels →
↓ Factorial Effect - - + - - + + +
M + + + + +
A + - + - +
B + - - + +
AB + + - - +

The rule for writing + and – in the above table is

For main effects give a plus sign where the corresponding factor is at the high (second) level.
A minus sign whenever the factor is at low (first) level.
The algebraic signs of the two factor interaction are obtained by multiplying the corresponding
signs of the two levels.
Two similar sign will give plus sign and the opposite sign will give a minus sign.

ANOVA TABLE FOR THREE WAY CLASSIFICATION

Source of Degrees of Mean sum of Variance ration
Sum of squares
variation freedom square F - ratio
MSA MSE
Factor A SSA υ1 = 1 MSA = SSA FA = or
MSE MSA
MSB MSE
Factor B SSB υ2 = 1 MSB = SSB FB = or
MSE MSB
MSAB MSE
Interaction AB SSAB υ3 = 1 MSAB = SSAB FAB = or
MSE MSAB
Residual (or) SSE
SSE υ4 = 4 ( n − 1) MSE =
Error υ4

Where n → experiment observations per treatment combination ( or experimental condition)

i.e. n → replications

PREPARED BY
V.KARTHICK M.Sc.,M.Phil., (MATHEMATICS) PAGE:
DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS 22 - FACTORIAL EXPERIMENT

Contrasts among the treatment totals

A contrast = ( ab ) − ( b ) + ( a ) − (1)
B contrast = ( ab ) + ( b ) − ( a ) − (1)
AB contrast = ( ab ) − ( b ) − ( a ) + (1)
Calculation of Main Effects
Main effect of A
WA =
A contrast
=
( ab ) − ( b ) + ( a ) − (1)
2n 2n
Main effect of B
WA =
B contrast
=
( ab ) + ( b ) − ( a ) − (1)
2n 2n
Interaction effect
WAB =
AB contrast
=
( ab ) − ( b ) − ( a ) + (1)
(or effect of AB ) 2n 2n

Computation of sum of squares

[ A contrast ] ( ab ) − ( b ) + ( a ) − (1) 
2 2

SSA = =
4n 4n

[ B contrast ] ( ab ) + ( b ) − ( a ) − (1) 
2 2

SSB = =
4n 4n

[ AB contrast ] ( ab ) − ( b ) − ( a ) + (1) 
2 2

SSAB = =
4n 4n
SSE = SST - SSA - SSB - SSAB

PREPARED BY
V.KARTHICK M.Sc.,M.Phil., (MATHEMATICS) PAGE: