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
300 kg298.3 kgT = X₁ + … + X₁₂?

The masses of bags of cement are independent and normal with mean 25 kg and standard deviation 0.5 kg. Find the probability P that the total mass of 12 of them is below 298.3 kg. Round z to two decimals.

μ = 25 kgσ = 0.5 kgn = 12< 298.3 kg
P =
2.Normal distributionHard
557085100115130145pointstop 5%

The IQ scores are normally distributed with mean 100 points and standard deviation 15 points. Drag the cut-off so the shaded top 5% is to the right of it. Find the cut-off x.

μ = 100 pointsσ = 15 points5%
x = points
3.Confidence intervalsMedium
n = 11, s = 12LU = ?x̄ = 13.5E99%

A sample of 11 items has mean 13.5 and standard deviation s = 12. The population is roughly normal. Find the upper limit of the 99% confidence interval for the mean.

n = 11x̄ = 13.5s = 1299%t(10) = 3.169
upper limit =
4.Confidence intervalsHard
σ = 24, n = ?x̄ − Ex̄ + Ex̄E = 2.595%

The population standard deviation is 24. How large a sample n do you need so that a 95% confidence interval for the mean has a margin of error of at most 2.5?

σ = 24E = 2.595%
n =
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsMedium
−2.1792.179t = ?df = 12

13 employees take a typing test before and after a training course. For each person the difference d = after − before (words per minute) is recorded. The mean difference is 1.41 and the standard deviation of the differences is 3.9. Find the paired test statistic t for H₀: μd = 0.

n = 13d̄ = 1.41sd = 3.9
t =
6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervalsHard
−1.961.96z = ?

In a trial, 24 of 80 patients on treatment A recover, and 38 of 150 patients on treatment B. Using the pooled proportion, find the test statistic z for H₀: p₁ = p₂.

x₁ = 24n₁ = 80x₂ = 38n₂ = 150
z =
7.Linear regression & correlationMedium
xy139347550753959xy5405060

The table gives 5 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 = 5
r² =
8.Linear regression & correlationHard
xy34855575997111721376xy510506070x = 10

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 = 10.

n = 6x = 10
ŷ =
9.Chi-square testsMedium
no defectminormajorTotalday shift4221440night shift204258120Total246472160

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
passfailTotalplant A5347100plant B6436100plant C79180Total19684280dfα = 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 = 0.01 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 = 2803 × 2α = 0.01
χ² =

3Solutions

1.Normal distribution

Answer: P = 0.1635

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 = 300 kg, σT = 0.5·√12 = 1.732 kg

Standardise

z = (298.3 − 300)/1.732 = −0.98

Probability

P = Φ(−0.98) = 0.1635

Answer

P = 0.1635
2.Normal distribution

Answer: x = 124.6 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) = 0.95

z from the table

z ≈ 1.64

Back to the original units

x = 100 + 1.64·15 = 124.6 points

Answer

x = 124.6 points
3.Confidence intervals

Answer: upper limit = 24.97

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 = 10, t = 3.169

Margin of error

E = 3.169·12/√11 = 11.47

Interval

13.5 ± 11.47 → [2.034, 24.97]

Answer

upper limit = 24.97
4.Confidence intervals

Answer: n = 355

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 = (1.96·24/2.5)² = 354

Round up

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

n = 355

Answer

n = 355
5.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: t = 1.304

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 of the mean difference

SE = 3.9/√13 = 1.082

Test statistic

t = 1.41/1.082 = 1.304

Answer

t = 1.304

With df = 12, the two-sided 5% critical value is 2.179; |t| is smaller, so H₀ is not rejected.

6.Hypothesis tests & confidence intervals

Answer: z = 0.7596

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 = 24/80 = 0.3
p̂₂ = 38/150 = 0.2533
p̂ = 62/230 = 0.2696

Standard error under H₀

SE = √(0.2696·0.7304·(1/80 + 1/150)) = 0.06143

Test statistic

z = (0.3 − 0.2533)/0.06143 = 0.7596

Answer

z = 0.7596

|z| < 1.96, so H₀ is not rejected at the 5% level (two-sided).

7.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: r² = 0.9653

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 = 248/5 = 49.6

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 40
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 92
Syy = Σ(y − ȳ)² = 219.2

Coefficient of determination

r² = 92²/(40·219.2) = 0.9653

Answer

r² = 0.9653

About 96.53% of the variation in y is explained by the line.

8.Linear regression & correlation

Answer: ŷ = 69.3

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 = 48/6 = 8
ȳ = 381/6 = 63.5

Sums of squares and products

Sxx = Σ(x − x̄)² = 70
Sxy = Σ(x − x̄)(y − ȳ) = 203

Regression line

b = 203/70 = 2.9
a = 63.5 − 2.9·8 = 40.3
ŷ = 40.3 + 2.9·x

Prediction

ŷ = 40.3 + 2.9·10 = 69.3

Answer

ŷ = 69.3
9.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ² = 5.074

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: 40·24/160 = 6, 40·64/160 = 16, 40·72/160 = 18
night shift: 120·24/160 = 18, 120·64/160 = 48, 120·72/160 = 54

Chi-square statistic

χ² = (4 − 6)²/6 + (22 − 16)²/16 + (14 − 18)²/18 + (20 − 18)²/18 + (42 − 48)²/48 + (58 − 54)²/54
χ² = 5.074

Answer

χ² = 5.074

df = 2. At α = 0.05 the critical value is 5.991, so H₀ (independence) is not rejected.

10.Chi-square tests

Answer: χ² = 46.96

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: 70, 30
plant B: 70, 30
plant C: 56, 24

Chi-square statistic

χ² = (53 − 70)²/70 + (47 − 30)²/30 + (64 − 70)²/70 + (36 − 30)²/30 + (79 − 56)²/56 + (1 − 24)²/24
χ² = 46.96

Decision

df = 2, χ²crit = 9.210
46.96 > 9.210

Answer

χ² = 46.96

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

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