8.

3 Hypothesis Tests for population mean (population

variance known)
 Recall: Steps in Hypothesis Testing
1. State and
2. Choose - usually 1%, 5% or 10%

3. Compute the test statistic (TS) – using

information collected from the sample

4. Find the rejection/ critical region(RR) –

use statistical tables to find critical values

5. Compare TS to RR and state conclusion-

If the test statistic lies in the rejection region reject the null
hypothesis in favour of the alternative.
Example 4:
A supermarket receives complaints that the mean
content of “1 kilogram” sugar bags that are sold by
them is less than 1 kilogram. A random sample of 40
sugar bags is selected from the shelves and the mean
found to be 0.987 kilograms. From past experience the
standard deviation contents of these bags is known to be
0.025 kilograms. Test, at the 5% level of significance,
whether this complaint is justified.

Step 1:
𝝁𝟎 =𝟏 𝒏=𝟒𝟎 ,
(left-tailed test)
𝒙=𝟎.𝟗𝟖𝟕,
𝝈=𝟎.𝟎𝟐𝟓,
Step 2: 𝛼=0.05 𝜶=𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓
Step 3: TS is known we use a Z test-statistic:

𝒙 − 𝝁𝟎 𝟎 .𝟗𝟖𝟕 −𝟏
𝒁 𝟎= ¿ ¿ −𝟑 . 𝟐𝟖𝟗
𝝈 𝟎 . 𝟎𝟐𝟓
√𝒏 √ 𝟒𝟎

Step 4: RR 𝜶=𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓

TS lies in the RR.

𝒁 𝟎 .𝟎𝟓
¿−𝟏. 𝟔𝟒𝟓
−𝟑 . 𝟐𝟖𝟗
Step 5: Conclusion
Since , we reject at a 5% level of significance. There is
sufficient evidence to conclude that the mean content of
“1 kilogram” sugar bags is less than 1 kilogram. (i.e. we
conclude in favour of )
Example 5:
A supermarket manager suspects that the machine
filling “500 gram” containers of coffee is overfilling
them. A random sample of 30 of these containers is
selected from the shelves and the mean found to be
501.8 grams. From past experience the variance of
contents of these bags is known to be 60 grams. Test at
the 5% level of significance whether the manager’s
suspicion is justified.
𝒏=𝟑𝟎 ,
Step 1:
(right-tailed test) 𝒙=𝟓𝟎𝟏 .𝟖,
,

Step 2: 𝜶=𝟎.𝟎𝟓 𝜶=𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓

Step 3: TS is known we use a Z test-statistic:

𝒙 − 𝝁𝟎 𝟓𝟎𝟏 . 𝟖− 𝟓𝟎𝟎
𝒁 𝟎= ¿ ¿ 𝟏 . 𝟐𝟕𝟑
𝝈 √𝟔𝟎
√𝒏
√𝟑𝟎

Step 4: RR
𝜶=𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓
𝟏−𝜶
𝒁 𝟎 .𝟗 𝟓 TS does not lie in
𝟏 . 𝟔𝟒𝟓 the RR.

Step 5: Conclusion 𝟏 . 𝟐𝟕𝟑

Since , we DO NOT reject at a 5% level of significance.
There is insufficient evidence to conclude that the
machine filling “500 gram” containers of coffee is
overfilling them (i.e. we don’t have enough evidence to
conclude ).
Example 6:
During a quality control exercise the manager of a
factory that fills cans of frozen shrimp wants to check
whether the mean weights of the cans conform to
specifications i.e. it is 600 grams as stated on the label.
A random sample of 50 of these cans is selected and the
mean found to be 595 grams. From past experience the
standard deviation of contents of these bags is known to
be 20 grams. Test, at the 10% level of significance,
whether the weights conform to specifications.

Step 1: 𝑯 𝟎 : 𝝁=𝟔𝟎𝟎(∗) 𝒏=𝟓𝟎 ,

𝑯 𝟏 : 𝝁≠ 𝟔𝟎𝟎 (two-tailed test) 𝒙=𝟓𝟗𝟓 ,
𝝈=𝟐𝟎,
Step 2: 𝜶=𝟎 . 𝟏𝟎 ⟹
𝜶
𝟐
=𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓 𝜶=𝟎.𝟏𝟎
Step 3: TS is known we use a Z test-statistic:

𝒙 − 𝝁𝟎 𝟓𝟗𝟓 −𝟔𝟎𝟎
𝒁 𝟎= ¿ ¿ 𝟏 . 𝟕𝟔𝟖
𝝈 𝟐𝟎
√𝒏 √ 𝟓𝟎

Step 4: RR
𝜶 𝜶
=𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓 =𝟎 . 𝟎𝟓
𝟐 𝟐

- 𝟏. 𝟔𝟒𝟓 TS lies in the RR.

𝟏 . 𝟕𝟔𝟖
Step 5: Conclusion
Since , we reject at a 5% level of significance. There is
sufficient evidence to conclude that that the mean
weights of the can don’t conform to specifications. (i.e.
we conclude ).
NOTE:

The decision is always in terms of the null

hypothesis (reject or do not reject ), when it is
not rejected we NEVER accept it!

But the conclusion is always in terms of the

alternative hypothesis (there is either enough
evidence to conclude or there is not enough
evidence to conclude ).