Example Sheet 1
1. A confidence interval was used to estimate the proportion of statistics students that are female. A
random sample of 72 statistics students generated the following 90% confidence interval: (0.438, 0.642).
Using the information above, what size
sample would be necessary if we wanted to estimate the true proportion to within 0.08 using 95%
confidence?
105 150 420 597
2. An economist is interested in studying the incomes of consumers in a particular region. The population
standarddeviation is known to be $1,000. What sample size would the economist need to use for a 95%
confidence interval if the width of the interval should not be more than $100?
20 40 385 1537
3. Independent samples of SAT math scores from students in Pennsylvania and Ohio were collected from
normal populations. A sample of 45 students from PA had an average score of 552
while a sample of 38 Ohio students had an average score of 530. Assume the population standard
deviations for PA and Ohio are 105 and 114 respectively. What is the 95% confidence interval for the
difference between population means?
A. 22 plus or minus 28.7
B. 22 plus or minus 47.5
C. 22 plus or minus 11.5
D. 22 plus or minus 32.1
4. The confidence interval for the difference between two population means that are normally distributed
where the population variances are unknown but assumed equal rely on
A. the average sample variance.
B. the estimated sample variance.
C. the pooled sample variance.
5. Independent samples of two different types of batteries were collected and tested for battery life. A
sample of 12 Long- lasting batteries had an average life of 49.2 hours with a standard deviation of 6.4
hours. A sample of 10 Regular batteries had an average life of 41.1 hours with a standard deviation of 7.3
hours. Assume both populations are normally distributed with equal variances. What is the 99% confidence
interval for the difference between population means?
A. 8.1 hours plus or minus 2.6 hours
B. 8.1 hours plus or minus 7.5 hours
C. 8.1 hours plus or minus 4.0 hours
D. 8.1 hours plus or minus 9.3 hours
6. Nine golfers are comparing the driving distance of a new golf ball to an existing (old) golf ball. The
following table shows the driving distance for each golfer using each ball. Assume the driving distances
for both populations are normally distributed. What is the 95% confidence interval for the difference
between means?
A. 25.1 yards plus or minus 4.1 yards
B. 25.1 yards plus or minus 6.8 yards
C. 25.1 yards plus or minus 9.7 yards
D. 25.1 yards plus or minus 12.4 yards
7. In a random sample of 400 Georgia residents, 272 indicated they were home owners. In another random
sample of 600 Florida residents, 390 were home owners. What is the 99% confidence interval for the
difference between the proportions?
A. 0.030 plus or minus 0.016
B. 0.030 plus or minus 0.035
C. 0.030 plus or minus 0.0510.
D. 030 plus or minus 0.077
8. Consider the following random sample from a normal population: 10, 5, 9, 12, 7, and 5. What is the 95%
confidence interval for the population variance?
A. (3.12, 48.13) B. (10.29, 15.67) C. (1.55, 16.02) D. (12.28, 20.77)
9. A confidence interval for the population variance depends on the z distribution.
True False
10. A confidence interval for the difference of two population proportions depends on the z distribution.
True False
11. The estimation procedure used to compare means between two populations when the sample values
from the first population are influenced by the sample values from the second population
is known as matched pairs.
True False
12. To determine the confidence interval for the difference between two normal population means with
population variances unknown requires the use of the student's t-distribution.
True False
13. The value of the observed sample proportion that provides the largest possible margin of error for a
confidence interval for a population proportion is 0.25.
True False
14. The procedure for calculating a confidence interval for the difference between two normal population
means using dependent samples reduces to the single population procedure.
True False
15. To calculate the confidence interval for the difference between two population means when the
population variances are unknown requires that both populations follow the student's t-
distribution.
True False
16. The normal distribution can be used to calculate the confidence interval for the difference between
population proportions as long as the sample sizes are at least 15 for each sample.
True False
17. One method to obtain a narrower confidence interval with a given confidence level is to increase the
sample size.
True False
18. FalseMeasuring the effectiveness of a weight loss program by weighing members at the beginning and
the end of the program is an example of independent samples.
True False
19. If we are testing for the difference between the means of two independent samples from a normal
population with samples of nx = 20 and ny = 20, the number of degrees of freedom for the t test statistic is
equal to _____.
40 19 38 25
20. Two samples each of size 25 are taken from independent populations assumed to be normally
distributed with equal variances. The first sample has a mean of 35.5 and standard deviation of 3.0 while
the second sample has a mean of 33.0 and standard deviation of 4.0. The pooled variance estimate is ____
3.5 18 12.5 7
21. Two samples each of size 25 are taken from independent populations assumed to be normally
distributed with equalvariances. The first sample has a mean of 35.5 and standard deviation of 3.0 while
the second sample has a mean of 33.0 and standard deviation of 4.0. The computed t statistic is _______.
2.5 5 3.6 1.85
22. Two samples each of size 25 are taken from independent populations assumed to be normally
distributed with equal variances. The first sample has a mea n of 35.5 and standard deviation of 3.0 while
the second sample has a mean of 33.0 and standard deviation of 4.0. Based on the data, the p-value for the
F test of equal variances will be .166. Based on this p- value, is the assumption of equal variances correct?
A. The assumption is incorrect.
B. The assumption is correct.
C. The answer cannot be determined based on p-value.
D. The answer cannot be determined without specifying a level of significance.
23. To investigate the efficacy of a diet, a random sample of 16 male patients is drawn from a population of
adult males using the diet. The weight of each individual in the sample is taken at
the start of the diet and at a medical follow-up four weeks later. Assuming that the population of
differences in weight before versus after the diet follow a normal distribution, the t-test for
related samples can be used to determine if there was a significant decrease in the mean weight during this
period. Suppose the mean decrease in weights over all 16 subjects in the study is 3.0 pounds with the
standard deviation of differences computed as 6.0 pounds. The critical value for a
one-sided test of the mean difference at a 0.05 level of significance is _______.
0.0638 1.7531 2.1315 2.4899
24. The test of a variance of a normal distribution relies on the random variable which follows the
A. chi-square distribution.
B. F distribution.
C. normal distribution.
D. t distribution.
25. A hypothesis test was established to test the claim that the proportion of male and female teenagers
who use Instant Messaging (IM) every week are the same. A sample of 300 males determined that 207
used IM each week. A sample of 350 females determined that 266 used IM each week. What is the test
statistic for this sample?
+1.28 +0.56 +3.15 +2.00
26. A hypothesis test was established to test the claim that the proportion of male and female teenagers
who use Instant Messaging (IM) every week are the same. A sample of 300 males determined that 207
used IM each week. A sample of 350 females determined that 266 used IM each week. What is the p-
value for this sample and what conclusions can be drawn using
an alpha equal to 0.05?
A. Since the p-value equals 0.0456, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the proportion of male
and female teenage IM users are not equal to each other.
B. Since the p-value equals 0.0456, we do not reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the proportion of
male and female teenage IM usersare equal to each other.
C. Since the p-value equals 0.0228, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the proportion of male
and female teenage IM users are not equal to each other.
D. Since the p-value equals 0.0228, we do not reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the proportion
of male and female teenage IM users are equal to each other.
27. When we test for differences between the means of two independent populations we can only use a
t-test.
True False
28. In testing for differences between the means of two independent populations if the test statistic is very
large, then the p-value of the test should be very small
True False
29. Whenever possible, we would prefer to use matched pairs of observations when comparing two
populations because the variance of the differences will be larger.
True False
30. If two population variances are known, the test for differences in the two population means does not
require the populations to be normally distributed if the sample sizes are large.
True False
31. To use the Student's t distribution to compare population means when the population variances are
unknown and sample sizes are small, we need to assume the populations are normally distributed.
True False
32. The F distribution is constructed as the ratio of two Student's t random variables, each divided by its
degrees of freedom.
True False
33. Hypothesis tests that use the F distribution do not depend on the assumption that the populations are
normally distributed as long as the sample sizes are large.
True False
34. The procedure that utilizes the normal distribution to test the difference between two population
proportions is valid for all sample sizes.
True False