ONE AND T WO-

TAILED TESTS
LESSON OBJECTIVES

On completion of this lesson, you should be able

to:

• Distinguish between a one-tailed and a

two-tailed test of hypothesis
• Use an alpha value to set rejection regions
for a statistical test
READING

• Salkind & Frey (2019)

• Chapter 7: “Hypotheticals and you”

Image source: Amazon.

PLACING THE TEST STATISTIC
𝑋−µ
𝑧=
σ
• Location of the test statistic for a √𝑛
test of the hypothesis:

H0: µ = 125 t/m2

• The sample mean lies 2.12 σ

above the hypothesized value

a l l
of m (125)

R ec
• Because z exceeds 1.645, it falls
into the rejection region
• We reject the null hypothesis that µ
= 125 and concluded that µ > 125
• Thus it appears that the company’s
pipe has a mean strength that
exceeds 125 tonnes/square metre
FORMULATING HYPOTHESES

• The null hypothesis and alternative

hypothesis form the basis for inference
using a test of hypothesis
• We tested…

H0: µ ≤ 125 t/m2 (Pipes do not meet specification)

H0: µ > 125 t/m2 (Pipes do meet specification)

• This is a one-tailed (or one-sided)

statistical test
ONE-TAILED TEST

• Both…
(H0): μ ≤ 125 (Pipe does not meet specifications)
(Ha): μ > 125 (Pipe does meet specifications)
Both are on “one
• …and… side” of the Null
(H0): μ ≥ 125 (Pipe does meet specifications) Hypothesis value
(Ha): μ < 125 (Pipe does not meet specifications)

• …are one tailed tests

• “Direction” is specified
SUPPOSE…

• Want to show that the population parameter is

either larger or smaller than a specified value
• Such an alternative hypothesis is called a
two-tailed (or two-sided) hypothesis
ONE/TWO TAIL TESTS

Alternate Symbols
Hypotheses allowed
One-tail < or >

Two-tail ≠
STEPS
125
125
125

125

Hypotheses Symbols
allowed
Null ≤, ≥, =

Alternate <, >, ≠

EXAMPLE

• A metal lathe is checked periodically by

quality control inspectors to determine
whether it is producing machine Image source: http://metal.baileighindustrial.com/metal-lathe-pl-1440e
bearings with a mean diameter of 2cms
• If the mean is larger or smaller than
2cms, then the process is out of control
• Formulate the null hypothesis and
alternative hypotheses for a test to 2cms
determine whether the bearing
production process is out of control
Image source: http://faqb2b.blog.com/ball-bearing-faq/
SOLUTION

• The hypothesis must be stated in terms of a

population parameter
• μ is the true mean diameter (in cms)
2cms
• If either μ > 2 or μ < 2 then the process is out of
control
• These are the alternative hypotheses (H1) Image source: http://faqb2b.blog.com/ball-bearing-faq/

• μ = 2 represents an in-control process (the status

quo) – this is the Null hypothesis
SOLUTION CONTD:

• Therefore we need to conduct a two-tailed

test

• Test hypothesis as follows:

H0: µ = 2 (the process is in control)

H1: µ ≠ 2 (the process is not in control)
REJECTION REGIONS

• Rejection regions corresponding to one- and two

tailed tests

1
1 1

(a) and (b) - one-tailed rejection regions (c) – two tailed

for lower and upper tailed tests rejection region
REJECTION REGION VALUES

• Note that the smaller α you select, the more

evidence (larger z) you will need before you
can reject H0