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 0.3401. Find z to two decimals.
A = 0.3401
z =
2.Normal distributionHard
The heights of adult men are normally distributed with mean 178 cm and standard deviation 7 cm. Drag the cut-off so the shaded top 5% is to the right of it. Find the cut-off x.
μ = 178 cmσ = 7 cm5%
x = cm
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
The blood pressure of 6 patients is measured before and after a treatment. The differences d = before − after (mmHg) have mean −8.3 and standard deviation 5.2. Find the lower limit of the 99% confidence interval for the mean difference.
n = 6d̄ = −8.3sd = 5.299%t(5) = 4.032
lower limit = mmHg
4.Confidence intervalsHard
The population standard deviation is 14. How large a sample n do you need so that a 95% confidence interval for the mean has a margin of error of at most 3?
σ = 14E = 395%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
Two teaching methods are compared. Group 1: 6 students, mean score 60, standard deviation 11.5. Group 2: 15 students, mean score 52.4, standard deviation 6. Assume equal population variances and use the pooled two-sample t test. Find the test statistic t for H₀: μ₁ = μ₂, taking the difference as x̄₁ − x̄₂ (group 1 minus group 2).
n₁ = 6x̄₁ = 60s₁ = 11.5n₂ = 15x̄₂ = 52.4s₂ = 6
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
A sample of 49 measurements has mean 98.7. The population standard deviation is 5. Find the lower limit L of the 95% confidence interval for the mean.
x̄ = 98.7σ = 5n = 4995%
L =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
The table gives 6 paired observations of x = temperature in °C and y = ice creams sold. 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 = hours studied and y = exam score. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. For which value x does the line predict ŷ = 73?
n = 5ŷ = 73
x =
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 = 802 × 3
χ² =
10.Chi-square testsHard
A chi-square goodness-of-fit test compares observed counts in 9 categories with fully specified expected proportions (no parameters are estimated from the data). How many degrees of freedom df does the test have?
k = 9
df =
3Solutions
1.Normal distribution
Answer: z = 0.44
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 + 0.3401)/2 = 0.6700
Read the z-table backwards
Find 0.6700 inside the table and read off z.
z = 0.44
Answer
z = 0.44
2.Normal distribution
Answer: x = 189.5 cm
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
Φ(z) = 0.95
z from the table
z ≈ 1.64
Back to the original units
x = 178 + 1.64·7 = 189.5 cm
Answer
x = 189.5 cm
3.Confidence intervals
Answer: lower limit = −16.86 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 = 5, t = 4.032
Margin of error
E = 4.032·5.2/√6 = 8.559
Interval
−8.3 ± 8.559 → [−16.86, 0.2595]
Answer
lower limit = −16.86 mmHg
4.Confidence intervals
Answer: n = 84
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 = (1.96·14/3)² = 83.66
Round up
A sample size is a whole number, and rounding down would make the margin too large.
n = 84
Answer
n = 84
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: t = 2.009
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.
Pooled variance
sp² = (5·11.5² + 14·6²)/19 = 61.33
sp = 7.831
Standard error
SE = 7.831·√(1/6 + 1/15) = 3.783
Test statistic
t = (60 − 52.4)/3.783 = 2.009
Answer
t = 2.009
With df = 19, the two-sided 5% critical value is 2.093; |t| is smaller, so H₀ is not rejected.
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: L = 97.3
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 = 1.96·5/√49 = 1.4
Interval limit
L = 98.7 − 1.4 = 97.3
Answer
L = 97.3
7.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: r² = 0.9504
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 = 135/6 = 22.5
ȳ = 404/6 = 67.33
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 157.5
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 654
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 2857
Coefficient of determination
r² = 654²/(157.5·2857) = 0.9504
Answer
r² = 0.9504
About 95.04% of the variation in y is explained by the line.
8.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: x = 7.923
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 = 35/5 = 7
ȳ = 347/5 = 69.4
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 156
Regression line
b = 156/40 = 3.9
a = 69.4 − 3.9·7 = 42.1
ŷ = 42.1 + 3.9·x
Solve for x
x = (73 − 42.1)/3.9 = 7.923
Answer
x = 7.923
9.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 0.2679
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 = 8
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.