Chloe Charlesworth

Skittles Project Part 3

HYPOTHESIS TESTING
Hypothesis testing is when one takes a group of data given a circumstance and makes an
observation based off of either a quantitative or qualitative variable. Then the tester may make a
null hypothesis based on evidence they are given. As they make an alternative hypothesis which
is usually a pre-determined statement made based off of the data before the testing happens, and
then tested to be proven whether or not there is enough evidence to either reject or not reject the
null hypothesis that has been made. This will help to make an inference about a sample and
conclude whether or not there is truth to the observation of the group of data or sample.

A claim has been made that 20% of all of the Skittle candies are red. We are given a
significance level of .05. What does our evidence say about this claim? Here is my work:
N=2199

x=395

S=1.08

H0: p=.20

This will be a two-tailed test.

p-hat=.18

H1: p= .20

Z-Value: .18-.20

= -2.34

Sqrt .20(1-.20)/2199

P-value:
.0096*2= .0192

.0192<.05 Decision: Reject Null Hypothesis

Conclusion: Evidence suggests there are not 20% of all Skittles candies
are red given the alpha significance level of .05.

A claim has been made that 30% of all of the Skittle candies are orange. We are
given a significance level of .05. What does our evidence say about this claim? Here is
my work:
N=2199

x=648

S=1.97

p-hat=.295

H0: p=.30

This will be a two-tailed test.

H1: p=.30
Z-Value:

.295-.30

= -.005

sqrt (.30*.70)/2199

= -.511

.0097

P-value: .305*2 = P(p=.20) = .61

Decision: .61>.05

Fail to reject

Conclusion: Evidence suggests that it is likely that 30% of the Skittles altogether would be
orange given a significance level of .05.

A claim has been made that the mean number of Skittles per bag is 59. We are given a
significance level of .01.
N=36

x=61

S=2.76

p-hat=61

61/2199=.027

59/2199=.026

H0: M=59

This will be a two-tailed test.

H1: M=59
Z-Value:

61-59
2.76/sqrt 36

2 =

4.34

.46

P-value: .000007*2 = P(p=.20) = .000014

Decision: .000014<.01

Reject

Conclusion: Evidence strongly suggests that the mean number of Skittles per bag is not 59 given
a significance level of .01.

Summary Reflection:
My results were extremely close to the Null Hypothesis and I found it interesting to see
which tests rejected and which ones did not. I was able to look at the data I had previously
organized and plug in the needed numbers into formulas that would allow me to find the possible
solution I was looking for. I find it interesting that numbers calculated correctly can tell a story
even when it comes to bags of Skittles. It then leads me to wonder why they put the amount of
Skittles per flavor in each bag.
What I find interesting about Hypothesis testing is the margin of error or the significance
level which states that we are okay with being wrong however much percent of the time. In these
tests it was either 5% or 1% of the time. I find it interesting because typically institutions or
businesses want to be as effectively thorough and precise as possible but we ARE human and we
are likely to be wrong sometimes. I suppose I find that to be interesting because there are errors
that are allowed to be made. They are preferably avoided, however, they are acknowledged when
they do happen and we know these errors as Type I and Type II errors. It is possible for me to
make a Type I error if for example the first claim that 20% of all Skittles were red, and I accept
this statement to be true when in fact it is not. I would be making a Type II error when I make
the claim that 30% of Skittles are orange and accept this to be true when it really is not true.