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
440580P = ?

The battery lifetimes are normally distributed with mean 500 h and standard deviation 40 h. What fraction lies between 440 and 580 h? Give P as a decimal.

μ = 500σ = 40x1 = 440x2 = 580
P =
2.Normal distributionHard
μ = 500x = ?10%

The battery lifetimes are normally distributed with mean 500 h and standard deviation 40 h. Find the value x below which 10% of them lie (the 10th percentile).

μ = 500σ = 40P = 10%
x = h
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
n = 30, s = 1.5LU = ?x̄ = 90.5E95%

A sample of 30 items has mean 90.5 and standard deviation s = 1.5. The population is roughly normal. Find the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the mean.

n = 30x̄ = 90.5s = 1.595%t(29) = 2.045
upper limit =
4.Confidence intervalsHard
σ = 21, n = ?x̄ − Ex̄ + Ex̄E = 0.590%

The population standard deviation is 21. 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 0.5?

σ = 21E = 0.590%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
−2.0642.064t = ?df = 24

Two teaching methods are compared. Group 1: 18 students, mean score 27.5, standard deviation 12. Group 2: 8 students, mean score 20.6, standard deviation 7. 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 = 18x̄₁ = 27.5s₁ = 12n₂ = 8x̄₂ = 20.6s₂ = 7
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
z −1.9601.96

A sample of 16 measurements has mean 505.3. The population standard deviation is 10. Find the lower limit L of the 95% confidence interval for the mean.

x̄ = 505.3σ = 10n = 1695%
L =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
xy1682188720105221202412926144xy202580100120140

The table gives 6 paired observations of x = temperature in °C and y = ice creams sold. Their sums are given. Find Pearson's correlation coefficient r from these sums.

n = 6Σx = 126Σy = 667Σx² = 2716Σy² = 77095Σxy = 14458
r =
8.Linear regression & correlationHard
xy140241348450562xy24405060x = 2.5

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. A new observation (2.5, 51) is made. Find its residual e = y − ŷ.

n = 5(2.5, 51)
e =
9.Chi-square testsMedium
no defectminormajorTotalday shift1661840night shift44241280Total603030120

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 = 1202 × 3
χ² =
10.Chi-square testsHard
dfα = 0.05α = 0.0113.8416.63525.9919.21037.81511.34549.48813.277511.07015.086612.59216.812714.06718.475815.50720.090916.91921.6661018.30723.209

A chi-square goodness-of-fit test checks whether counts in 4 categories follow a Poisson distribution whose mean is estimated from the same data. Using the table, find the critical value χ²crit at significance level α = 0.05.

α = 0.05
χ²crit =

3Solutions

1.Normal distribution

Answer: P = 0.9104

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-scores

z₁ = (440 − 500)/40 = −1.5
z₂ = (580 − 500)/40 = 2

Area between

P = Φ(2) − Φ(−1.5) = 0.9772 − 0.06681 = 0.9104

Answer

P = 0.9104
2.Normal distribution

Answer: x = 448.7 h

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 = 500 + −1.282·40 = 448.74 h

Answer

x = 448.74 h
3.Confidence intervals

Answer: upper limit = 91.06

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 = 29, t = 2.045

Margin of error

E = 2.045·1.5/√30 = 0.56

Interval

90.5 ± 0.56 → [89.94, 91.06]

Answer

upper limit = 91.06
4.Confidence intervals

Answer: n = 4774

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 = (1.645·21/0.5)² = 4773

Round up

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

n = 4774

Answer

n = 4774
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: t = 1.506

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 = (17·12² + 7·7²)/24 = 116.3
sp = 10.78

Standard error

SE = 10.78·√(1/18 + 1/8) = 4.582

Test statistic

t = (27.5 − 20.6)/4.582 = 1.506

Answer

t = 1.506

With df = 24, the two-sided 5% critical value is 2.064; |t| is smaller, so H₀ is not rejected.

6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: L = 500.4

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 = 1.96·10/√16 = 4.9

Interval limit

L = 505.3 − 4.9 = 500.4

Answer

L = 500.4
7.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: r = 0.993

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.

Centred sums

Sxy = 14458 − 126·667/6 = 451
Sxx = 2716 − 126²/6 = 70
Syy = 77095 − 667²/6 = 2947

Correlation coefficient

r = 451/√(70·2947) = 0.993

Answer

r = 0.993
8.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: e = 5.45

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 = 241/5 = 48.2

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 10
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 53

Regression line

b = 53/10 = 5.3
a = 48.2 − 5.3·3 = 32.3
ŷ = 32.3 + 5.3·x

Predicted value

ŷ = 32.3 + 5.3·2.5 = 45.55

Residual

e = 51 − 45.55 = 5.45

Answer

e = 5.45

The point lies above the line.

9.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ² = 13.2

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

day shift: 40·60/120 = 20, 40·30/120 = 10, 40·30/120 = 10
night shift: 80·60/120 = 40, 80·30/120 = 20, 80·30/120 = 20

Chi-square statistic

χ² = (16 − 20)²/20 + (6 − 10)²/10 + (18 − 10)²/10 + (44 − 40)²/40 + (24 − 20)²/20 + (12 − 20)²/20
χ² = 13.2

Answer

χ² = 13.2

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

10.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ²crit = 5.991

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.

Degrees of freedom

df = 4 − 1 − 1 = 2

Table

χ²crit(df = 2, α = 0.05) = 5.991

Answer

χ²crit = 5.991

Reject H₀ if the computed χ² is larger than this value.

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