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
200 mm199.6 mmX + Y?

X is normal with mean 120 mm and standard deviation 0.3 mm; Y is independent and normal with mean 80 mm and standard deviation 0.4 mm. Find the probability P that X + Y is more than 199.6 mm. Round z to two decimals.

μX = 120, σX = 0.3μY = 80, σY = 0.4X + Y > 199.6 mm
P =
2.Normal distributionHard
35455565758595pointstop 95%

The exam scores are normally distributed with mean 65 points and standard deviation 10 points. Drag the cut-off so the shaded top 95% is to the right of it. Find the cut-off x.

μ = 65 pointsσ = 10 points95%
x = points
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
n = 6, s = 17.5L = ?Ux̄ = 66.5E90%

A sample of 6 items has mean 66.5 and standard deviation s = 17.5. The population is roughly normal. Find the lower limit of the 90% confidence interval for the mean.

n = 6x̄ = 66.5s = 17.590%t(5) = 2.015
lower limit =
4.Confidence intervalsHard
σ = 25, n = ?x̄ − Ex̄ + Ex̄E = 1.599%

The population standard deviation is 25. How large a sample n do you need so that a 99% confidence interval for the mean has a margin of error of at most 1.5?

σ = 25E = 1.599%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
t −1.9901.99

A sample of 81 students has a mean score of 117.1 and a sample standard deviation of 12. Find the test statistic t for H₀: μ = 120.

μ₀ = 120x̄ = 117.1s = 12n = 81
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
z −1.9601.96

A sample of 49 measurements has mean 117.4. The population standard deviation is 12. Find the upper limit U of the 95% confidence interval for the mean.

x̄ = 117.4σ = 12n = 4995%
U =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
xy15721891211132412627145xy152025100150

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
xy15137057778899511107xy5106080100x = 4

The table gives 6 paired observations of x = hours studied and y = exam score. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. Predict ŷ for x = 4.

n = 6x = 4
ŷ =
9.Chi-square testsMedium
busbikecarTotalstudents26331170staff25421481Total517525151

The contingency table shows observed counts. For a chi-square test of independence, find the expected count E for the cell “students, bus”.

row total = 70column total = 51N = 151
E =
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 6 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 = 0.01.

α = 0.01
χ²crit =

3Solutions

1.Normal distribution

Answer: P = 0.7881

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 sum

μ = 200 mm, σ = √(0.3² + 0.4²) = 0.5 mm

Standardise

z = (199.6 − 200)/0.5 = −0.8

Upper tail

P = 1 − Φ(−0.8) = 1 − 0.2119 = 0.7881

Answer

P = 0.7881
2.Normal distribution

Answer: x = 48.6 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) = 0.05

z from the table

z ≈ −1.64

Back to the original units

x = 65 − 1.64·10 = 48.6 points

Answer

x = 48.6 points
3.Confidence intervals

Answer: lower limit = 52.1

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 = 5, t = 2.015

Margin of error

E = 2.015·17.5/√6 = 14.4

Interval

66.5 ± 14.4 → [52.1, 80.9]

Answer

lower limit = 52.1
4.Confidence intervals

Answer: n = 1844

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 = (2.576·25/1.5)² = 1843

Round up

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

n = 1844

Answer

n = 1844
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: t = −2.175

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/√81 = 12/9 = 1.333

Test statistic

t = (117.1 − 120)/1.333 = −2.175

Answer

t = −2.175
t0.025; df = 80 = 1.99

|t| > 1.99, so H₀ is rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).

6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: U = 120.8

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 = 1.96·12/√49 = 3.36

Interval limit

U = 117.4 + 3.36 = 120.8

Answer

U = 120.8
7.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: r = 0.9974

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 = 105/5 = 21
ȳ = 547/5 = 109.4

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 90
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 543
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 3293

Correlation coefficient

r = 543/√(90·3293) = 0.9974

Answer

r = 0.9974
8.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: ŷ = 70.88

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 = 488/6 = 81.33

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 70
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 366

Regression line

b = 366/70 = 5.229
a = 81.33 − 5.229·6 = 49.96
ŷ = 49.96 + 5.229·x

Prediction

ŷ = 49.96 + 5.229·4 = 70.88

Answer

ŷ = 70.88
9.Chi-square tests

Answer: E = 23.64

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 = 70·51/151 = 23.64

Answer

E = 23.64
10.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ²crit = 13.28

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 = 6 − 1 − 1 = 4

Table

χ²crit(df = 4, α = 0.01) = 13.277

Answer

χ²crit = 13.277

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

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