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
The battery lifetimes are normally distributed with mean 500 h and standard deviation 40 h. What fraction lies between 462 and 548 h? Give P as a decimal.
μ = 500σ = 40x1 = 462x2 = 548
P =
2.Normal distributionHard
The heights of adult men are normally distributed with mean 178 cm and standard deviation 7 cm. Find the value x below which 97.5% of them lie (the 97.5th percentile).
μ = 178σ = 7P = 97.5%
x = cm
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
The blood pressure of 9 patients is measured before and after a treatment. The differences d = before − after (mmHg) have mean 0.5 and standard deviation 7.5. Find the lower limit of the 90% confidence interval for the mean difference.
n = 9d̄ = 0.5sd = 7.590%t(8) = 1.86
lower limit = mmHg
4.Confidence intervalsHard
Two fertilisers are tested. Plot group 1: 13 plots, mean yield 37.5 kg, standard deviation 3.5 kg. Plot group 2: 18 plots, mean 40.5 kg, standard deviation 2.5 kg. Assume equal variances (pooled t, df = n₁ + n₂ − 2). Find the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for μ₁ − μ₂.
Two production lines make the same part. Line 1: a sample of 80 parts has mean length 65.5 mm, and the line's known standard deviation is 11 mm. Line 2: a sample of 30 parts has mean 73.7 mm, known standard deviation 14 mm. Find the test statistic z for H₀: μ₁ = μ₂, taking the difference as x̄₁ − x̄₂ (line 1 minus line 2).
A one-sided z test of H₀: μ = 100 against H₁: μ < 100 is done at α = 0.10 with a sample of 25; the standard deviation is known to be 10. In reality the mean is 94.6. Find the power 1 − β of the test in percent.
μ₀ = 100μ = 94.6σ = 10n = 25α = 0.10
1 − β = %
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
The table gives 6 paired observations of x = hours studied and y = exam score. Their sums are given. Find Pearson's correlation coefficient r from these sums.
The table gives 5 paired observations of x = load in kN and y = extension in mm. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. Predict ŷ for x = 5.
n = 5x = 5
ŷ =
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 = 1802 × 2
χ² =
10.Chi-square testsHard
The table shows observed counts. Test at α = 0.05 whether the two variables are independent (no continuity correction). Compute the test statistic χ², then compare it with the critical value from the table.
N = 2003 × 2α = 0.05
χ² =
3Solutions
1.Normal distribution
Answer: P = 0.7139
Normal distribution: convert a value x to a z-score, z = (x − μ)/σ, which counts standard deviations from the mean. A z-table (or Φ(z)) gives the area to the left of z, which is P(X < x). The area to the right is 1 − Φ(z), and the area between two values is the difference of their two areas.
z-scores
z₁ = (462 − 500)/40 = −0.95
z₂ = (548 − 500)/40 = 1.2
Area between
P = Φ(1.2) − Φ(−0.95) = 0.8849 − 0.1711 = 0.7139
Answer
P = 0.7139
2.Normal distribution
Answer: x = 191.7 cm
Normal distribution: convert a value x to a z-score, z = (x − μ)/σ, which counts standard deviations from the mean. A z-table (or Φ(z)) gives the area to the left of z, which is P(X < x). The area to the right is 1 − Φ(z), and the area between two values is the difference of their two areas.
z for the percentile
Φ(z) = 0.975 → z = 1.96
Back to x
x = 178 + 1.96·7 = 191.72 cm
Answer
x = 191.72 cm
3.Confidence intervals
Answer: lower limit = −4.15 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 = 8, t = 1.86
Margin of error
E = 1.86·7.5/√9 = 4.65
Interval
0.5 ± 4.65 → [−4.15, 5.15]
Answer
lower limit = −4.15 mmHg
4.Confidence intervals
Answer: upper limit = −0.8004 kg
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.
Pooled standard deviation
sp² = (12·3.5² + 17·2.5²)/29 = 8.733
sp = 2.955
Margin of error
E = 2.045·2.955·√(1/13 + 1/18) = 2.2
Interval
−3 ± 2.2 → [−5.2, −0.8004]
Answer
upper limit = −0.8004 kg
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: z = −2.891
Hypothesis test: the test statistic = (estimate − value under H₀)/(standard error under H₀). The p-value is the probability, assuming H₀ is true, of a statistic at least as extreme as the one observed: the area in one tail for a one-sided H₁, twice the tail area for a two-sided H₁. Reject H₀ when p ≤ α.
Standard error of the difference
SE = √(11²/80 + 14²/30) = √8.046 = 2.837
Test statistic
z = (65.5 − 73.7)/2.837 = −2.891
Answer
z = −2.891
|z| > 1.96, so H₀ is rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: 1 − β = 92.19 %
Power of a test: power = 1 − β is the probability of rejecting H₀ when it is false. Find the cutoff x̄c from μ₀ and z_α, then compute the probability of landing beyond x̄c using the true mean: z = (x̄c − μ)/(σ/√n).
Critical sample mean
SE = 10/√25 = 2
x̄c = 100 − 1.282·2 = 97.44
z under the true mean
z = (97.44 − 94.6)/2 = 1.418
Power
power = P(Z < 1.418) = 92.19%
1 − β = 92.19%
Answer
1 − β = 92.19%
7.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: r = 0.9727
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.
Centred sums
Sxy = 2361 − 33·409/6 = 111.5
Sxx = 199 − 33²/6 = 17.5
Syy = 28631 − 409²/6 = 750.8
Correlation coefficient
r = 111.5/√(17.5·750.8) = 0.9727
Answer
r = 0.9727
8.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: ŷ = 18.25
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 = 30/5 = 6
ȳ = 109/5 = 21.8
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 142
Regression line
b = 142/40 = 3.55
a = 21.8 − 3.55·6 = 0.5
ŷ = 0.5 + 3.55·x
Prediction
ŷ = 0.5 + 3.55·5 = 18.25
Answer
ŷ = 18.25
9.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 0.8182
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 = 1. At α = 0.05 the critical value is 3.841, so H₀ (independence) is not rejected.
10.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 8.1
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.