E = row total × column total / grand total, df = (r − 1)(c − 1)
Critical values (α = 0.05)
df 1: 3.841, 2: 5.991, 3: 7.815, 4: 9.488
Decision
reject H0 if χ² > χ²crit
2Practice problems
1.Normal distributionMedium
Drag z so that the shaded area between −z and z under the standard normal curve is 0.8690. Find z to two decimals.
A = 0.8690
z =
2.Normal distributionHard
Hole diameters D are normal with mean 25.03 mm and standard deviation 0.015 mm. Shaft diameters d are independent and normal with mean 25 mm and standard deviation 0.01 mm. A randomly chosen shaft fits when D − d > 0. Find the probability P that it fits. Round z to two decimals.
hole: μ = 25.03 mm, σ = 0.015 mmshaft: μ = 25 mm, σ = 0.01 mm
P =
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
The blood pressure of 12 patients is measured before and after a treatment. The differences d = before − after (mmHg) have mean 7.2 and standard deviation 6.6. Find the upper limit of the 99% confidence interval for the mean difference.
n = 12d̄ = 7.2sd = 6.699%t(11) = 3.106
upper limit = mmHg
4.Confidence intervalsHard
Nothing is known in advance about the proportion of defective products. How many products n must be inspected so that a 99% confidence interval for the proportion has a margin of error of at most 0.01?
p = 0.5E = 0.0199%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
A sample of 49 students has a mean score of 202.9 and a sample standard deviation of 12. Find the test statistic t for H₀: μ = 200.
μ₀ = 200x̄ = 202.9s = 12n = 49
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
A sample of 100 measurements has mean 120.2. The population standard deviation is 5. Find the lower limit L of the 99% confidence interval for the mean.
x̄ = 120.2σ = 5n = 10099%
L =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
The table gives 6 paired observations of x = hours studied and y = exam score. Find the coefficient of determination r² of the least-squares line.
n = 6
r² =
8.Linear regression & correlationHard
The table gives 5 paired observations of x = temperature in °C and y = ice creams sold. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. A new observation (23, 100) is made. Find its residual e = y − ŷ.
n = 5(23, 100)
e =
9.Chi-square testsMedium
The contingency table shows observed counts. Compute the chi-square statistic χ² for the test of independence between the row and column variables. Do not use a continuity correction.
N = 1402 × 3
χ² =
10.Chi-square testsHard
A chi-square test of independence is carried out on a contingency table with 3 rows and 6 columns (not counting the totals). How many degrees of freedom df does the test have?
3 × 6
df =
3Solutions
1.Normal distribution
Answer: z = 1.51
From an area back to z: Φ(z) is the area to the left of z. For a left-tail area A, find z with Φ(z) = A in the table. A right-tail area A means Φ(z) = 1 − A. A central area A between −z and z leaves (1 − A)/2 in each tail, so Φ(z) = (1 + A)/2. For a value x, use x = μ + zσ.
Area to the left of z
Φ(z) = (1 + 0.8690)/2 = 0.9345
Read the z-table backwards
Find 0.9345 inside the table and read off z.
z = 1.51
Answer
z = 1.51
2.Normal distribution
Answer: P = 0.9515
Sums and differences of normal variables: if X and Y are independent and normal, X + Y and X − Y are normal too. Means add or subtract: E(X ± Y) = μX ± μY. Variances always add, also for a difference: Var(X ± Y) = σX² + σY², so σ = √(σX² + σY²). Standard deviations never add directly. The total of n independent items with the same distribution has mean n·μ and standard deviation σ·√n. Then standardise as usual: z = (x − mean)/σ and read Φ(z).
Distribution of the difference
μ = 25.03 − 25 = 0.03 mm, σ = 0.01803 mm
Standardise
z = (0 − 0.03)/0.01803 = −1.66
Probability
P = 1 − Φ(−1.66) = 0.9515
Answer
P = 0.9515
3.Confidence intervals
Answer: upper limit = 13.12 mmHg
Interval for a difference: estimate ± critical value × standard error. For two independent means with known σ: SE = √(σ₁²/n₁ + σ₂²/n₂) and z. With equal unknown variances: pooled s_p and t with n₁ + n₂ − 2 degrees of freedom. For paired data, work with the differences: d̄ ± t·s_d/√n.
Critical value
df = 11, t = 3.106
Margin of error
E = 3.106·6.6/√12 = 5.918
Interval
7.2 ± 5.918 → [1.282, 13.12]
Answer
upper limit = 13.12 mmHg
4.Confidence intervals
Answer: n = 16590
Confidence interval for a proportion: p̂ ± z·√(p̂(1 − p̂)/n), where p̂ = x/n. To reach a margin E you need n ≥ z²·p(1 − p)/E², rounded up; without a prior estimate use p = 0.5, which gives the largest n.
Solve for n
n = 2.576²·0.5·0.5/0.01² = 16589
Round up
n = 16590
Answer
n = 16590
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: t = 1.692
Testing a mean: the test statistic measures how many standard errors the sample mean lies from the value claimed in H₀: z = (x̄ − μ₀)/(σ/√n) when σ is known, t = (x̄ − μ₀)/(s/√n) when it is estimated from the sample. A confidence interval is x̄ ± (critical value)·(standard error).
Standard error
SE = 12/√49 = 12/7 = 1.714
Test statistic
t = (202.9 − 200)/1.714 = 1.692
Answer
t = 1.692
t0.025; df = 48 = 2.011
|t| < 2.011, so H₀ is not rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: L = 118.9
Testing a mean: the test statistic measures how many standard errors the sample mean lies from the value claimed in H₀: z = (x̄ − μ₀)/(σ/√n) when σ is known, t = (x̄ − μ₀)/(s/√n) when it is estimated from the sample. A confidence interval is x̄ ± (critical value)·(standard error).
Margin of error
E = 2.576·5/√100 = 1.288
Interval limit
L = 120.2 − 1.288 = 118.9
Answer
L = 118.9
7.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: r² = 0.9964
Least-squares regression: with x̄ and ȳ the means, Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)², Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² and Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ), the line ŷ = a + b·x has slope b = Sxy/Sxx and intercept a = ȳ − b·x̄, so it always passes through (x̄, ȳ). Pearson's correlation coefficient r = Sxy/√(Sxx·Syy) lies between −1 and 1; r² is the fraction of the variation in y explained by the line.
Means
x̄ = 48/6 = 8
ȳ = 528/6 = 88
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 70
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 426
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 2602
Coefficient of determination
r² = 426²/(70·2602) = 0.9964
Answer
r² = 0.9964
About 99.64% of the variation in y is explained by the line.
8.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: e = −2.75
Least-squares regression: with x̄ and ȳ the means, Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)², Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² and Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ), the line ŷ = a + b·x has slope b = Sxy/Sxx and intercept a = ȳ − b·x̄, so it always passes through (x̄, ȳ). Pearson's correlation coefficient r = Sxy/√(Sxx·Syy) lies between −1 and 1; r² is the fraction of the variation in y explained by the line.
Means
x̄ = 110/5 = 22
ȳ = 486/5 = 97.2
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 222
Regression line
b = 222/40 = 5.55
a = 97.2 − 5.55·22 = −24.9
ŷ = −24.9 + 5.55·x
Predicted value
ŷ = −24.9 + 5.55·23 = 102.8
Residual
e = 100 − 102.8 = −2.75
Answer
e = −2.75
The point lies below the line.
9.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 5.32
Chi-square tests: compare observed counts O with the counts E expected under H₀ using χ² = Σ(O − E)²/E. Goodness of fit: E = n·p for each category, df = k − 1 (minus one more for each parameter estimated from the data). Independence in an r × c table: E = row total × column total / grand total, df = (r − 1)(c − 1). Reject H₀ when χ² exceeds the critical value for the chosen α.
df = 2. At α = 0.05 the critical value is 5.991, so H₀ (independence) is not rejected.
10.Chi-square tests
Answer: df = 10
Chi-square tests: compare observed counts O with the counts E expected under H₀ using χ² = Σ(O − E)²/E. Goodness of fit: E = n·p for each category, df = k − 1 (minus one more for each parameter estimated from the data). Independence in an r × c table: E = row total × column total / grand total, df = (r − 1)(c − 1). Reject H₀ when χ² exceeds the critical value for the chosen α.