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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.