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.

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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
192 kg193.6 kgT = X₁ + … + X₁₆?

The masses of boxes are independent and normal with mean 12 kg and standard deviation 0.8 kg. Find the probability P that the total mass of 16 of them exceeds 193.6 kg. Round z to two decimals.

μ = 12 kgσ = 0.8 kgn = 16> 193.6 kg
P =
2.Normal distributionHard
μ = 100x = ?10%

The IQ scores are normally distributed with mean 100 points and standard deviation 15 points. Find the value x below which 10% of them lie (the 10th percentile).

μ = 100σ = 15P = 10%
x = points
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
n = 16, sd​ = 5.70LU = ?d̄ = 0.6E95%

The blood pressure of 16 patients is measured before and after a treatment. The differences d = before − after (mmHg) have mean 0.6 and standard deviation 5.7. Find the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference.

n = 16d̄ = 0.6sd = 5.795%t(15) = 2.131
upper limit = mmHg
4.Confidence intervalsHard
p ≈ 0.3, n = ?p̂ − Ep̂ + Ep̂E = 0.02590%

A pilot study suggests that about 0.3 of products are defective. How many products n must be inspected so that a 90% confidence interval for the proportion has a margin of error of at most 0.025?

p ≈ 0.3E = 0.02590%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
t −2.01102.011

A sample of 49 students has a mean score of 496.2 and a sample standard deviation of 12. Find the test statistic t for H₀: μ = 500.

μ₀ = 500x̄ = 496.2s = 12n = 49
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
μ₀x̄c

A one-sided z test of H₀: μ = 50 against H₁: μ < 50 is done at α = 0.10 with a sample of 25; the standard deviation is known to be 2.5. In reality the mean is 49.15. Find the power 1 − β of the test in percent.

μ₀ = 50μ = 49.15σ = 2.5n = 25α = 0.10
1 − β = %
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
xy14531665187220832281xy1520607080

The table gives 5 paired observations of x = temperature in °C and y = ice creams sold. Find Pearson's correlation coefficient r.

n = 5
r =
8.Linear regression & correlationHard
xy137342551761963xy5405060ŷ = 54

The table gives 5 paired observations of x = advertising spend in k€ and y = sales in k€. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. For which value x does the line predict ŷ = 54?

n = 5ŷ = 54
x =
9.Chi-square testsMedium
busbikecarTotalstudents404832120staff322464120Total727296240

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 = 2402 × 3
χ² =
10.Chi-square testsHard
passfailTotalplant A3070100plant B4258100plant C4852100Total120180300dfα = 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 = 3003 × 2α = 0.05
χ² =

3Solutions

1.Normal distribution

Answer: P = 0.3085

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 total

μT = 192 kg, σT = 0.8·√16 = 3.2 kg

Standardise

z = (193.6 − 192)/3.2 = 0.5

Probability

P = 1 − Φ(0.5) = 0.3085

Answer

P = 0.3085
2.Normal distribution

Answer: x = 80.78 points

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) = 0.1 → z = −1.282

Back to x

x = 100 + −1.282·15 = 80.78 points

Answer

x = 80.78 points
3.Confidence intervals

Answer: upper limit = 3.637 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 = 15, t = 2.131

Margin of error

E = 2.131·5.7/√16 = 3.037

Interval

0.6 ± 3.037 → [−2.437, 3.637]

Answer

upper limit = 3.637 mmHg
4.Confidence intervals

Answer: n = 910

Confidence interval for a proportion: p̂ ± z·√(p̂(1 − p̂)/n), where p̂ = x/n. To reach a margin E you need n ≥ z²·p(1 − p)/E², rounded up; without a prior estimate use p = 0.5, which gives the largest n.

Solve for n

n = 1.645²·0.3·0.7/0.025² = 909.2

Round up

n = 910

Answer

n = 910
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: t = −2.217

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 = 12/√49 = 12/7 = 1.714

Test statistic

t = (496.2 − 500)/1.714 = −2.217

Answer

t = −2.217
t0.025; df = 48 = 2.011

|t| > 2.011, so H₀ is rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).

6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: 1 − β = 66.2 %

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 = 2.5/√25 = 0.5
x̄c = 50 − 1.282·0.5 = 49.36

z under the true mean

z = (49.36 − 49.15)/0.5 = 0.418

Power

power = P(Z < 0.418) = 66.2%
1 − β = 66.2%

Answer

1 − β = 66.2%
7.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: r = 0.9515

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 = 90/5 = 18
ȳ = 354/5 = 70.8

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 148
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 604.8

Correlation coefficient

r = 148/√(40·604.8) = 0.9515

Answer

r = 0.9515
8.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: x = 5.901

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 = 25/5 = 5
ȳ = 254/5 = 50.8

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 = 50.8 − 3.55·5 = 33.05
ŷ = 33.05 + 3.55·x

Solve for x

x = (54 − 33.05)/3.55 = 5.901

Answer

x = 5.901
9.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ² = 19.56

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

students: 120·72/240 = 36, 120·72/240 = 36, 120·96/240 = 48
staff: 120·72/240 = 36, 120·72/240 = 36, 120·96/240 = 48

Chi-square statistic

χ² = (40 − 36)²/36 + (48 − 36)²/36 + (32 − 48)²/48 + (32 − 36)²/36 + (24 − 36)²/36 + (64 − 48)²/48
χ² = 19.56

Answer

χ² = 19.56

df = 2. At α = 0.05 the critical value is 5.991, so H₀ (independence) is rejected.

10.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ² = 7

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

plant A: 40, 60
plant B: 40, 60
plant C: 40, 60

Chi-square statistic

χ² = (30 − 40)²/40 + (70 − 60)²/60 + (42 − 40)²/40 + (58 − 60)²/60 + (48 − 40)²/40 + (52 − 60)²/60
χ² = 7

Decision

df = 2, χ²crit = 5.991
7 > 5.991

Answer

χ² = 7

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

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