Lecture Practice Questions and Answers

|x 1−x 2| x−μ
t= t=

√ s
2 2
s 1 s2
+
n1 n2 √n

1. Descriptive statistics:
a) describe our sample data and cannot be generalised beyond the sample;
b) allow us to make inferences about the population beyond our sample data;
c) describe only the range of sample data;
d) describe only the standard deviation of population data;

2. Inferential statistics:
a) describe our sample data and cannot be generalised beyond that;
b) allow us to make inferences about the population beyond our sample data;
c) describe only the range of sample data;
d) describe only the standard deviation of population data;

3. To test a hypothesis, a researcher decided to construct a two-tailed independent-samples t-test with a 5%

significance level (i.e. α = 0.05). What is the appropriate t-critical value when both sample sizes are 13?
a) 2.056
b) 1.960
c) 2.064
d) 1.645

4. To test a hypothesis, a researcher decided to construct a two-tailed one-sample t-test with a 5%

significance level (i.e. α = 0.05). What is the appropriate t-critical value when sample size is 20?
a) 1.750
b) 1.860
c) 2.086
d) 2.093

5. In hypothesis testing, based on a 0.05 alpha level (α = 0.05), the right decision is to:
a) reject H0, when P-value < 0.05
b) reject H0, when P-value > 0.05
c) not reject H0, when P-value < 0.05
d) reject H0, when P-value < 0.01

6. In a hypothesis test, the critical value tc=2.402. The right decision is to:
a) reject H0, when t-value < 2.402
b) reject H0, when t-value > 2.402
c) fail to reject H0, when t-value > 2.402
d) reject H0, when t-value > 1.201

7. In a z-test
a) Population mean and standard deviation are known;
b) Population mean and standard deviation are not known;
c) The sample size is less than 30;
d) Sample mean is not known;

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8. In an independent-samples t-test:
a) Population mean and standard deviation are known;
b) Population standard deviation is known;
c) Samples means are known;
d) The sample size is more than 40;

9. Suppose the P-value in a t-test is 0.02. Which of the following is true?

a) We will not reject H0 at alpha = 0.05
b) We will reject H0 at alpha = 0.01
c) We will reject H0 at alpha = 0.05
d) We will reject H0 at alpha values of 0.01 and 0.05;

10. In independent-samples t-testing:

a) H0: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
b) H0: There is a statistically significant difference between the two samples;
c) Ha: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
d) Ha: The two samples come from the same population;

11. A t-test is applicable when:

a) n<30;
b) n>30
c) n>40;
d) All of the above;

12. The degrees of freedom for an independent-samples t-test based on sample sizes n1 and n2 is:
a) n1 + n2 - 1
b) n1 + n2
c) n1 + n2 - 2
d) 2x(n1 + n2)

13. The degrees of freedom for one-sample t-test based on a sample size n is:
a) n - 1
b) n +1
c) n - 2
d) 2n

14. In independent-samples t-testing:

a) H0: There is statistically significant difference between the two samples;
b) Ha: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
c) Ha: There is statistically significant difference between the two samples;
d) Ha: The two samples come from the same population;

15. In an independent-samples t-testing, the calculated P-value is 0.34 and =0.05. It follows that:
a) We reject H0 as the two samples come from different populations;
b) We fail to reject H0 as the two samples come from the same population;
c) There is a statistically significant difference between the two samples;
d) None of the above;
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16. A Physics teacher wants to compare her two classes to see if they performed any differently in a recent
test. Class A has 20 students with an average score of 60 and a standard deviation of 10. Class B has also
20 students with an average score of 68 and a standard deviation of 15. Is there a statistically significant
difference between these two classes?

|x A −x B| |60−68|
t= = =1.985

√ √
2 2
s 2A s 2B 10 15
+ +
nA nB 20 20

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 x A =60 s A =10 n A =20
17. The coaches of two local basketball teams want to determine whether the players on their teams
x B =68 s =15 n =20
are of similar ages. They recorded the Bages of the players on the two teamsB as follows:

TEAM A TEAM B
25 23
25 23
28 26
30 27
A25critical value
24 is calculated using a t-table and the information below;
25 20
24 21 degrees of freedom ( df )=n1 +n 2−2=40−2=38
25 23
22 P( value)=0.05
25 This is a two-tailed test;
21 21
19Therefore, 22 critical value, tc=2.021; t=1.985
20 29
22 Hypothesis:
Null 28
H330: There is29no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
28
Alternative 28
Hypothesis:
Ha: There is a statistically significant difference between the two samples;
(a) Use the data above to calculate a t-value in order to determine whether there a statistically significant
difference between the ages of these two teams.
t-value<tc, therefore, we FAIL TO reject H0;
Mean 24.80 24.60
Stdev 3.80
Null Hypothesis 3.07
is true:
n 0H : 15.00
There is no 15.00
statistically significant difference between the two samples;

|x A −x B| |24.80−24.60|
t= = =0.159

√ √
2 2 2 2
s A sB 3.80 3.07
+ +
nA nB 15 15

A critical value is calculated using a t-table and the information below;

degrees of freedom ( df )=n1 +n 2−2=30−2=28
P( value)=0.05This is a two-tailed test; Thus, critical value, tc=2.048; t=0.159

Null Hypothesis:
H0: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
Alternative Hypothesis:
Ha: There is a statistically significant difference between the two samples;

t-value<tc, therefore, we FAIL TO reject H0;

Null Hypothesis is true:

4
H0: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
 x A =24.80 s A =3.80 n A =15
(b) Use the data above to carry out a t-test using Excel in order to calculate a P-value. Determine whether
x B =24.60 s B=3.07 n B=15
there a statistically significant difference between the ages of these two teams.

TEAM A TEAM B
25 23
25 23
28 26
30 27
25 24
25 20
24 21
25 23
22 25
21 21
19 22
20 29
22 28
33 29
28 28

Mean 24.80 24.60

Stdev 3.80 3.07
n 15.00 15.00
Null Hypothesis is true:
t-test 0.875
H0: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;

Thus, P-value=0.875

A P-value≤0.05 indicates the Null hypothesis, H0, is rejected;

Null Hypothesis:
H0: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;
Alternative Hypothesis:
Ha: There is a statistically significant difference between the two samples;

Our P-value>0.05 and thus we fail to reject the Null hypothesis, H 0, is rejected;

Null Hypothesis is true:

H0: There is no statistically significant difference between the two samples;