Statistics 2: Statistical Inference: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 10 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

New problemsBack to the course

In the print window, choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy on your device.

1Formulas and methods

Normal distribution

z-score
z = (x − μ)/σ
Below x
P(X < x) = Φ(z)
Above x
P(X > x) = 1 − Φ(z)
Between
Φ(z2) − Φ(z1)
Percentile
x = μ + z·σ

Method

  1. Convert the value to a z-score: z = (x − μ)/σ.
  2. Look up Φ(z), the area to the left of z.
  3. For the area to the right use 1 − Φ(z); for an interval subtract the two left areas.
  4. For a percentile, work backwards: find z for the area, then x = μ + z·σ.

Confidence intervals

σ known
x̄ ± z·σ/√n
σ unknown
x̄ ± t·s/√n, df = n − 1
Critical z
90%: 1.645, 95%: 1.96, 99%: 2.576
Sample size
n = (z·σ/E)², rounded up

Method

  1. Decide between z (population σ known) and t (only the sample s, with n − 1 degrees of freedom).
  2. Find the critical value for the confidence level.
  3. Margin of error: E = critical value × standard deviation/√n.
  4. Interval: x̄ ± E.

Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

z-test for a mean
z = (x̄ − μ0)/(σ/√n)
t-test for a mean
t = (x̄ − μ0)/(s/√n), df = n − 1
Two-sided at 5%
reject H0 if |z| > 1.96
Confidence interval
x̄ ± z·σ/√n

Method

  1. State H₀ and H₁ and decide whether the test is one- or two-sided.
  2. Calculate the test statistic: (x̄ − μ₀)/(σ/√n), or with s and t.
  3. Compare with the critical value, or find the p-value.
  4. Reject H₀ if the statistic is beyond the critical value (p below α), and state the conclusion in words.

Linear regression & correlation

Sums of squares
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = Σx² − (Σx)²/n, Sxy = Σxy − ΣxΣy/n
Slope
b = Sxy/Sxx
Intercept
a = ȳ − b·x̄
Correlation
r = Sxy/√(SxxSyy)
Residual
e = y − ŷ

Chi-square tests

Test statistic
χ² = Σ(O − E)²/E
Goodness of fit
E = n·p, df = k − 1 − (estimated parameters)
Independence
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
−3−2−10123zshaded area to the right of z = 0.9738

Drag z so that the shaded area under the standard normal curve, to the right of z, is 0.9738. Find z to two decimals.

A = 0.9738
z =
2.Normal distributionHard
0.05 mm0D − d?

Hole diameters D are normal with mean 25.05 mm and standard deviation 0.015 mm. Shaft diameters d are independent and normal with mean 25 mm and standard deviation 0.015 mm. A randomly chosen shaft fits when D − d > 0. Find the probability P that it fits. Round z to two decimals.

hole: μ = 25.05 mm, σ = 0.015 mmshaft: μ = 25 mm, σ = 0.015 mm
P =
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
n = 11, s = 4.5LUx̄ = 92.5E = ?99%

A sample of 11 items has mean 92.5 and standard deviation s = 4.5. The population is roughly normal. Find the margin of error E of a 99% confidence interval for the mean.

n = 11x̄ = 92.5s = 4.599%t(10) = 3.169
E =
4.Confidence intervalsHard
σ = 27, n = ?x̄ − Ex̄ + Ex̄E = 390%

The population standard deviation is 27. How large a sample n do you need so that a 90% confidence interval for the mean has a margin of error of at most 3?

σ = 27E = 390%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
t −2.06402.064

A sample of 25 students has a mean score of 123.4 and a sample standard deviation of 10. Find the test statistic t for H₀: μ = 120.

μ₀ = 120x̄ = 123.4s = 10n = 25
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
z −1.9601.96

A sample of 25 measurements has mean 77.1. The population standard deviation is 4. Find the upper limit U of the 95% confidence interval for the mean.

x̄ = 77.1σ = 4n = 2595%
U =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
xy126225322421519xy242025

The table gives 5 paired observations of x = car age in years and y = price in k€. Find the coefficient of determination r² of the least-squares line.

n = 5
r² =
8.Linear regression & correlationHard
xy264156208261032xy510102030ŷ = 23

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. For which value x does the line predict ŷ = 23?

n = 5ŷ = 23
x =
9.Chi-square testsMedium
busbikecarTotalstudents383528101staff10132548Total484853149

The contingency table shows observed counts. For a chi-square test of independence, find the expected count E for the cell “students, bike”.

row total = 101column total = 48N = 149
E =
10.Chi-square testsHard
yesnoTotalage 18–303763100age 31–505347100age 51+225880Total112168280dfα = 0.05α = 0.0113.8416.63525.9919.21037.81511.34549.48813.277511.07015.086612.59216.812714.06718.475815.50720.090916.91921.6661018.30723.209

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 = 2803 × 2α = 0.05
χ² =

3Solutions

1.Normal distribution

Answer: z = −1.94

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 − 0.9738 = 0.0262

Read the z-table backwards

Find 0.0262 inside the table and read off z.

z = −1.94

Answer

z = −1.94
2.Normal distribution

Answer: P = 0.9909

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 = 25.05 − 25 = 0.05 mm, σ = 0.02121 mm

Standardise

z = (0 − 0.05)/0.02121 = −2.36

Probability

P = 1 − Φ(−2.36) = 0.9909

Answer

P = 0.9909
3.Confidence intervals

Answer: E = 4.3

Confidence interval for a mean: x̄ ± margin of error. With a known population σ the margin is z·σ/√n; with only the sample standard deviation s, use t with n − 1 degrees of freedom: t·s/√n. Critical values: z = 1.645 (90%), 1.96 (95%), 2.576 (99%). To get a margin E or smaller, you need n ≥ (z·σ/E)², rounded up.

Critical value

df = n − 1 = 10, t = 3.169

Margin of error

E = 3.169·4.5/√11 = 4.3

Answer

E = 4.3
4.Confidence intervals

Answer: n = 220

Confidence interval for a mean: x̄ ± margin of error. With a known population σ the margin is z·σ/√n; with only the sample standard deviation s, use t with n − 1 degrees of freedom: t·s/√n. Critical values: z = 1.645 (90%), 1.96 (95%), 2.576 (99%). To get a margin E or smaller, you need n ≥ (z·σ/E)², rounded up.

Solve for n

n = (1.645·27/3)² = 219.2

Round up

A sample size is a whole number, and rounding down would make the margin too large.

n = 220

Answer

n = 220
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: t = 1.7

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 = 10/√25 = 10/5 = 2

Test statistic

t = (123.4 − 120)/2 = 1.7

Answer

t = 1.7
t0.025; df = 24 = 2.064

|t| < 2.064, so H₀ is not rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).

6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: U = 78.67

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 = 1.96·4/√25 = 1.568

Interval limit

U = 77.1 + 1.568 = 78.67

Answer

U = 78.67
7.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: r² = 0.9759

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 = 15/5 = 3
ȳ = 113/5 = 22.6

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 10
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = −18
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 33.2

Coefficient of determination

r² = −18²/(10·33.2) = 0.9759

Answer

r² = 0.9759

About 97.59% of the variation in y is explained by the line.

8.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: x = 7.016

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 = 99/5 = 19.8

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 126

Regression line

b = 126/40 = 3.15
a = 19.8 − 3.15·6 = 0.9
ŷ = 0.9 + 3.15·x

Solve for x

x = (23 − 0.9)/3.15 = 7.016

Answer

x = 7.016
9.Chi-square tests

Answer: E = 32.54

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.

Expected count

E = 101·48/149 = 32.54

Answer

E = 32.54
10.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ² = 12.63

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.

Expected counts

age 18–30: 40, 60
age 31–50: 40, 60
age 51+: 32, 48

Chi-square statistic

χ² = (37 − 40)²/40 + (63 − 60)²/60 + (53 − 40)²/40 + (47 − 60)²/60 + (22 − 32)²/32 + (58 − 48)²/48
χ² = 12.63

Decision

df = 2, χ²crit = 5.991
12.63 > 5.991

Answer

χ² = 12.63

χ² is above the critical value, so H₀ is rejected: the variables appear to be related.

ExamProblems · examproblems.com/courses/statistics-2-inference