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 0.2358. Find z to two decimals.
A = 0.2358
z =
2.Normal distributionHard
The battery lifetimes are normally distributed with mean 500 h and standard deviation 40 h. Drag the cut-off so the shaded bottom 25% is to the left of it. Find the cut-off x.
μ = 500 hσ = 40 h25%
x = h
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
The blood pressure of 15 patients is measured before and after a treatment. The differences d = before − after (mmHg) have mean −6.9 and standard deviation 3.3. Find the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference.
n = 15d̄ = −6.9sd = 3.395%t(14) = 2.145
lower limit = mmHg
4.Confidence intervalsHard
Two fertilisers are tested. Plot group 1: 5 plots, mean yield 98 kg, standard deviation 2.5 kg. Plot group 2: 7 plots, mean 105.5 kg, standard deviation 7.5 kg. Assume equal variances (pooled t, df = n₁ + n₂ − 2). Find the upper limit of the 99% confidence interval for μ₁ − μ₂.
Two teaching methods are compared. Group 1: 7 students, mean score 112, standard deviation 2.5. Group 2: 5 students, mean score 116.6, standard deviation 4.5. 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 = 7x̄₁ = 112s₁ = 2.5n₂ = 5x̄₂ = 116.6s₂ = 4.5
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
How large must a sample be so that the 90% confidence interval for a mean has a margin of error of at most 2.5? The standard deviation is 5. Find the smallest sample size n.
σ = 5E = 2.590%
n =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
The table gives 5 paired observations of x = advertising spend in k€ and y = sales in k€. Find Pearson's correlation coefficient r.
n = 5
r =
8.Linear regression & correlationHard
The table gives 5 paired observations of x = temperature in °C and y = ice creams sold. Use the least-squares line ŷ = a + b·x. Predict ŷ for x = 17.
n = 5x = 17
ŷ =
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 = 1402 × 2
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 = 1803 × 2α = 0.05
χ² =
3Solutions
1.Normal distribution
Answer: z = 0.3
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 + 0.2358)/2 = 0.6179
Read the z-table backwards
Find 0.6179 inside the table and read off z.
z = 0.30
Answer
z = 0.30
2.Normal distribution
Answer: x = 473 h
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 = 500 − 0.67·40 = 473 h
Answer
x = 473 h
3.Confidence intervals
Answer: lower limit = −8.728 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 = 14, t = 2.145
Margin of error
E = 2.145·3.3/√15 = 1.828
Interval
−6.9 ± 1.828 → [−8.728, −5.072]
Answer
lower limit = −8.728 mmHg
4.Confidence intervals
Answer: upper limit = 3.672 kg
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.
Pooled standard deviation
sp² = (4·2.5² + 6·7.5²)/10 = 36.25
sp = 6.021
Margin of error
E = 3.169·6.021·√(1/5 + 1/7) = 11.17
Interval
−7.5 ± 11.17 → [−18.67, 3.672]
Answer
upper limit = 3.672 kg
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: t = −2.282
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 = (6·2.5² + 4·4.5²)/10 = 11.85
sp = 3.442
Standard error
SE = 3.442·√(1/7 + 1/5) = 2.016
Test statistic
t = (112 − 116.6)/2.016 = −2.282
Answer
t = −2.282
With df = 10, the two-sided 5% critical value is 2.228; |t| is larger, so H₀ is rejected.
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals
Answer: n = 11
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).
Solve for n
n = (1.645·5/2.5)² = 10.82
Round up
n = 11
Answer
n = 11
7.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: r = 0.9743
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 = 199/5 = 39.8
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 10
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 43
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 194.8
Correlation coefficient
r = 43/√(10·194.8) = 0.9743
Answer
r = 0.9743
8.Linear regression & correlation
Answer: ŷ = 58.25
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 = 100/5 = 20
ȳ = 343/5 = 68.6
Sums of squares and products
Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 138
Regression line
b = 138/40 = 3.45
a = 68.6 − 3.45·20 = −0.4
ŷ = −0.4 + 3.45·x
Prediction
ŷ = −0.4 + 3.45·17 = 58.25
Answer
ŷ = 58.25
9.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 26.52
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 = 1. At α = 0.05 the critical value is 3.841, so H₀ (independence) is rejected.
10.Chi-square tests
Answer: χ² = 7.5
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.