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 0.9115. Find z to two decimals.
A = 0.9115
z =
2.Normal distributionHard
The IQ scores are normally distributed with mean 100 points and standard deviation 15 points. Drag the cut-off so the shaded top 75% is to the right of it. Find the cut-off x.
μ = 100 pointsσ = 15 points75%
x = points
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
A 95% confidence interval for a mean, based on 25 observations and a known σ, has a margin of error of 3.9. What is the margin of error E₂ if the same study uses 100 observations instead?
95%n₁ = 25E₁ = 3.9n₂ = 100
E₂ =
4.Confidence intervalsHard
The population standard deviation is 9. 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 2?
σ = 9E = 290%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
Two teaching methods are compared. Group 1: 17 students, mean score 82.5, standard deviation 12. Group 2: 5 students, mean score 87.3, standard deviation 11. 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 = 17x̄₁ = 82.5s₁ = 12n₂ = 5x̄₂ = 87.3s₂ = 11
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
In a trial, 55 of 100 patients on treatment A recover, and 79 of 120 patients on treatment B. Using the pooled proportion, find the test statistic z for H₀: p₁ = p₂.
x₁ = 55n₁ = 100x₂ = 79n₂ = 120
z =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
The table gives 6 paired observations of x = advertising spend in k€ and y = sales in k€. 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 = load in kN and y = extension in mm. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. A new observation (7, 19) is made. Find its residual e = y − ŷ.
n = 5(7, 19)
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 = 1602 × 3
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 = 2203 × 2α = 0.05
χ² =
3Solutions
1.Normal distribution
Answer: z = −1.35
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 − 0.9115 = 0.0885
Read the z-table backwards
Find 0.0885 inside the table and read off z.
z = −1.35
Answer
z = −1.35
2.Normal distribution
Answer: x = 90 points
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) = 0.25
z from the table
z ≈ −0.67
Back to the original units
x = 100 − 0.67·15 = 90 points
Answer
x = 90 points
3.Confidence intervals
Answer: E₂ = 1.95
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.
Ratio of margins
E₂/E₁ = (1.96/1.96)·√(25/100) = 0.5
New margin
E₂ = 3.9·0.5 = 1.95
Answer
E₂ = 1.95
4.Confidence intervals
Answer: n = 55
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 = (1.645·9/2)² = 54.8
Round up
A sample size is a whole number, and rounding down would make the margin too large.
n = 55
Answer
n = 55
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: t = −0.7991
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 = (16·12² + 4·11²)/20 = 139.4
sp = 11.81
Standard error
SE = 11.81·√(1/17 + 1/5) = 6.007
Test statistic
t = (82.5 − 87.3)/6.007 = −0.7991
Answer
t = −0.7991
With df = 20, the two-sided 5% critical value is 2.086; |t| is smaller, so H₀ is not rejected.
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: z = −1.64
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.
Sample proportions
p̂₁ = 55/100 = 0.55
p̂₂ = 79/120 = 0.6583
p̂ = 134/220 = 0.6091
Standard error under H₀
SE = √(0.6091·0.3909·(1/100 + 1/120)) = 0.06607
Test statistic
z = (0.55 − 0.6583)/0.06607 = −1.64
Answer
z = −1.64
|z| < 1.96, so H₀ is not rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).
7.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: r² = 0.9793
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 = 36/6 = 6
ȳ = 424/6 = 70.67
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 70
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 328
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 1569
Coefficient of determination
r² = 328²/(70·1569) = 0.9793
Answer
r² = 0.9793
About 97.93% of the variation in y is explained by the line.
8.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: e = 2.4
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 = 71/5 = 14.2
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 96
Regression line
b = 96/40 = 2.4
a = 14.2 − 2.4·6 = −0.2
ŷ = −0.2 + 2.4·x
Predicted value
ŷ = −0.2 + 2.4·7 = 16.6
Residual
e = 19 − 16.6 = 2.4
Answer
e = 2.4
The point lies above the line.
9.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 4.059
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: χ² = 4.521
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.