Hypothesis Tests for a

Population Mean
Objectives:
 Test hypotheses about a mean
 Understand the difference between
statistical significance and practical
significance
 Appreciate the importance of
hypothesis testing in real life
Criteria
 The sample is obtained using simple
random sampling or from a randomized
experiment.
 The sample has no outliers, and the
population from which the sample is
drawn is normally distributed or the
sample size, n, is large (n > 30).
 The sampled values are independent of
each other.
The steps are 1:the
Objective Testsame from
hypotheses about aproportion…
mean
 Hypothesis Testing

 Step 1 Identify the Parameter, State the Hypotheses,

Identify the Claim
 Step 2 Set the Criteria for Decision
 Step 3 Compute the test statistic
 Step 4
Make a Decision
 Step 5
Conclude
Conclude
Test Statistic (Population mean)
 Suppose that a simple random sample of
size n is taken from a population. If the
population from which the sample is
drawn follows a normal distribution, the
distribution of

 follows Student’s t-distribution with (n-1)

degrees of freedom, where s is the
sample standard deviation.
Stating the Conclusion
The conclusion depends on the
CLAIM

Null Hypothesis is the claim

 Reject Ho: There is enough evidence
to REJECT the claim that …
 Do not reject Ho: There is NOT
enough evidence to REJECT the
claim that …
Stating the Conclusion
The conclusion depends on the
CLAIM.
Alternative Hypothesis is the claim
 Reject Ho: There is enough
evidence to SUPPORT the claim
that …
 Do not reject Ho: There is NOT
enough evidence to SUPPORT the
claim that …
Writing Conclusion
Decision Claim Ho Claim H1
Reject H0 We have We have
enough enough
evidence to evidence to
REJECT the SUPPORT the
claim… claim…
Do not reject H0 We DO NOT We DO NOT
have enough have enough
evidence to evidence to
REJECT the SUPPORT the
claim… claim…
Definition

 Statistical significance refers to

the claim that a result from data
generated by testing or
experimentation is not likely to
occur randomly or by chance but
is instead likely to be attributable
to a specific cause.
Example 1. The “fun size” of a Snickers bar
is supposed to weigh 20 grams. Because
the penalty for selling candy bars under
their advertised weight is severe, the
manufacturer calibrates the machine so the
mean weight is 20.1 grams. The quality-
control engineer at M&M–Mars, the
Snickers manufacturer, is concerned about
the calibration. He obtains a random
sample of 12 candy bars, weighs them, and
obtains the data in the machine.
Objective 1: Test hypotheses about a mean
Should the machine be shut down and
calibrated? Because shutting down the
plant is very expensive, he decides to
conduct the test at  = 0.01 level of
significance.
19.68 20.66 19.56 19.98
20.65 19.61 20.55 20.31
21.02 21.50 19.74 20.08

Find the sample mean () and sample SD ().

Objective 1: Test hypotheses about a mean
 Hypothesis Testing
 Step 1 H0: m = 20.1 (claim)
H1: m not = 20.1
 Step 2 a/2=0.005; df = 11; CV t(0.005,11) = +-3.106

Reject H0 when t > 3.106 or t < -3.106

 Step 3
Compute the test statistic. t = 1.006
 Step 4
Since 1.006 is NOT > 3.106, do not reject H0
 Step 5
We do not have enough evidence to REJECT

the H0 that the mean weight is not different

Test statistic
𝑋 − 𝜇𝑜
𝑡=
𝑠
√𝑛
20.278 20.1
−
𝑡 =0.613
❑
12 √
t = 1.006
 Definition
 Practical significance refers to the
idea that, while small differences
between the statistic and parameter
stated in the null hypothesis are
statistically significant, the
difference may not be large enough
to cause concern or be considered
important.
Obj. 2: Understand the difference between statistical significance and practical
significance
Example 2. According to the survey, the mean
travel time to work in 2008 was 27.3 minutes.
The Department of Transportation
reprogrammed all the traffic lights in Collin
County in an attempt to reduce travel time. To
determine if there is evidence that travel time
has decreased as a result of the reprogramming,
the DOT obtains a random sample of 2500
commuters, records their travel time to work, and
finds a sample mean of 27.0 minutes with a
standard deviation of 8.5 minutes. Does this
result suggest that travel time has decreased at
 = 0.05 level of significance?
Obj. 2: Understand the difference between statistical significance and practical
significance.
Example 2. According to the survey, the mean
travel time to work in 2008 was 27.3 minutes.
The Department of Transportation
reprogrammed all the traffic lights in Collin
County in an attempt to reduce travel time. To
determine if there is evidence that travel time
has decreased as a result of the reprogramming,
the DOT obtains a random sample of 2500
commuters, records their travel time to work, and
finds a sample mean of 27.0 minutes with a
standard deviation of 8.5 minutes. Does this
result suggest that travel time has decreased at
 = 0.05 level of significance?
Obj. 2: Understand the difference between statistical significance and practical
significance.
 Hypothesis Testing
 Step 1 H0: m = 27.3
H1: m < 27.3 (claim)
 Step 2 a=0.05, df = 2499, t(0.05, 2499) = -1.645

Decision rule. Reject H0 when t < -1.645

 Step 3
Compute the test statistic. t = -1.765
 Step 4
Since -1.765 < -1.645, reject H0
 Step 5
We have enough evidence to support the claim

that the travel time is lessened after the ...

Test statistic
𝑋 − 𝜇𝑜
𝑡=
𝑠
√𝑛
27 27.3
−
𝑡 =8.5
❑
2500 √
t = -1.765
Async

 P.199 (medium view)

 Application, #7 (an experimental study…)
 Individual
 Pdf or image files
 10 points

 Use p.194-198 as your guide