Ipswich Grammar School

Tatenda Gary Nyamande

Applied Statistical Analysis

EMP/REPORT

Tatenda Nyamande Semester 2 Term 4 11 Math B assignment

Question 1
1)

i.

ii.

iii.

It is predicted that the reaction time of the smaller squares will be longer.
The slower reaction time is due to the smaller squares having a smaller
surface area making it a little bit harder for the responder to visualise the
square, thus delaying the reaction of the responder.
It will be anticipated that the reaction times of the smaller squares will
show greater variation. This is because there is a higher chance of
inconsistencies when clicking on the smaller squares. In comparison to the
larger squares, there is a larger area to click on, which then limits the
occurrence of inconsistencies within the data.

Large Square data

Large Square results

Mean (xx ) of the given data set. 609.40 ms

Median (med) of the given data set. 636.63 ms
Lower Quartile (Q1) of the given data set. 546.32
Upper Quartile (Q3) of the given data set. 696.34 ms
Minimum (MinX) of the given data set. 290.30 ms
Minimum (MaxX) of the given data set. 754.78 ms
Standard Deviation (x) of the given data set. 116.58 ms

Tatenda Nyamande Semester 2 Term 4 11 Math B assignment

Rangef

Maximumminimum

754.78290.30=464.48 ms
Interquartile Range (IQR)

3 Q1
( IQR )=Q
696.34 ms546.32ms
150.02ms
Small Square data

Small Square results

Mean (xx ) of the given data set. 839.99 ms

Median (med) of the given data set. 857.59 ms
Lower Quartile (Q1) of the given data set. 709.96
Upper Quartile (Q3) of the given data set. 972.45 ms
Minimum (MinX) of the given data set. 480.06 ms
Minimum (MaxX) of the given data set. 1173.04 ms
Standard Deviation (x) of the given data set. 186.08 ms

Tatenda Nyamande Semester 2 Term 4 11 Math B assignment

Range

Maximumminimum
1173.04480.06=692.98 ms
Interquartile Range (IQR)

3 Q1
( IQR )=Q
972.45 ms709.96 ms

262.49 ms

iv.
The reaction times support the predictions made from question 1 parts i
and ii. The mean reaction time of the big square was faster than the mean
reaction time for the small square. The small square had a mean reaction
time of 839.99 ms and the big square had a faster mean reaction time of
609.40 ms. The mean of the squares supports the prediction that the
reaction time for the smaller square would be longer. The range indicated
that the small square data had greater variation then the larger square
data. The large square range was 464.48 ms, however the calculated
range for the small square was 262.49 ms. The small and big square
results had no mode. This means that the participant did not have a
repetitive reaction time, which in turn shows that there was little
consistency in his click speed.The IQR also helped to show that the small
square data had a larger spread. The IQR of the small square was 692.98
ms and the large square data IQR was 152.02ms. This shows that the
reaction time of the small square data was more inconsistent then the
larger square. The reaction consistency can also be shown through the
standard deviation. The small square data had a standard deviation of
186.08 ms. The small square standard deviation shows that the data points
are spread further away from the mean of 839.99 ms. The big square had
a smaller standard deviation of 116.58. When comparing to the small
square data standard deviation, the standard deviation of the big square
showed less spread, with the data values much closer to the mean of
609.40 ms. The results show that the reaction time for small squares tend
to be longer than the reaction time for big squares. Furthermore, the
statistical data gathered supports the prediction that the reaction time of
the smaller squares will show greater variation.

Question 2
2)

Tatenda Nyamande Semester 2 Term 4 11 Math B assignment

i.
The outliers in the histogram are easily recognisable. There are two data
values in figure one that lie outside the overall pattern of distribution.
There is one data value in the 1378 ms and 1578 ms group and another
one in the 2158 ms and 2358 ms group. These data values are abnormally
distanced from the bulk of the data.

Question 3
3)
i.
The obvious outlier is the 4.48 s reaction time. The occurrence of this
outlier may have
been caused by a momentary distraction e.g. a random
noise.
ii.

iii.

Tatenda Nyamande Semester 2 Term 4 11 Math B assignment

Outliers > 2 seconds removed

25
20
15
10
5
0

Second (s)

iv. The typical reaction time for the percipient would be best exemplified by The
mean and
median for data with outliers > 2 s removed. The majority of
the data values are under 0.5s and by removing outliers >2s it can help show the
typical reaction speed of the participant while focusing on majority of the data
values which are under 0.5s.

Question 4
4)

Tatenda Nyamande Semester 2 Term 4 11 Math B assignment

When comparing Sams typical left-hand and right-hand reaction times, it can be
seen that Sam is naturally right-handed. The mean reaction time indicates that
Sam is right-handed. Outliers that were exceeding 2s were excluded in the
calculations, as they were seen as uncharacteristic reaction times given the
activity. The mean reaction time for the right hand data was 0.3 s, however the
mean reaction time for the left-handed trials was 0.36 s. The mean reaction times
show that the left handed reaction times were slower than the right. The boxplot
above represents the statistical data collected, and compares the reaction times
of both the left and right hand. The box plot shows that left hand reaction times
had larger spread. First of all, the range of the left hand reaction times was larger
than the right hand reaction times. The range of the left hand was 0.44s, while the
range of the right hand was 0.26s, thus showing that the reaction times for the
right hand was more consistent as it had a smaller spread. The calculated ranges
ruled out the possibility of Sam being ambidextrous as there was a 0.18s spread.
The calculated medians of both hands helped to prove that Sam was naturally
right handed. The median of the left hand was 0.38s however the median of the
right hand was 0.30s. The median separates the higher and lower half of the data
set. The median for the left hand shows that half the data set was wither over or
under the 0.38s mark. This shows that it is slower than the right hand because the
middle value of the right hand was 0.30s, therefore displaying that the right
hand was typically faster than the left, showing that it is his dominant hand.