Examples of Hypothesis Testing Problems

Hypothesis testing problems should be written up as follows

H0 State the null hypothesis
H1 State the alternative hypothesis.
State the assumptions under which the test is being performed.
Give the region of rejection.
Compute the numerical value of the test statistic.
Tell whether or not to reject H0
Give a statement and if appropriate a recommended course of action in ordinary
English.

Example 1: From long experience with a process for manufacturing an alcoholic

beverage it is known that the yield is normally distributed with a mean of 500
and a standard deviation of 96 units . For a modified process the yield is 535
units for a sample of size 50. At α = 05 does the modified process increase the
yield?

H0 m = 5 0 0

H1 m>500

Assume the standard deviation is known

•
x -m
Reject H 0 if Z = >1.645 at a=.05 .
"
s’ n
Computation

535-500
Z= =2.57
"
96’ 50
Reject H 0 at a=.05.

There is reason to believe that the modified

process increases the yield.

2. In a report prepared by the Economic Research Department of a major bank

the Department manager maintains that the average annual family income on
Metropolis is $48,432. What do you conclude about the validity of the report if a
random sample of 400 families shows and average income of $48,574 with a
standard deviation of 2000?
H 0 m = $48,432
H 1 m › $48,432

Large sample The central limit theorem holds.

At a = .05 reject H 0 if Z < —1.96 or Z > 1.96.

48574-48432
Z = =1.42
"
2000 ’ 400
Cannot reject H 0 at a = .05
The report appears to be valid.
P value P(Z>1.42)+P(Z<—1.42)= .156

3. The lifetime of a certain brand of heat pump is known to be normally

distributed with a standard deviation of 2. A sample of 6 heat pumps yielded the
following observations

2.0 1.3 6.0 1.9 5.1 4

At α= .05 is there reason to believe that the mean life of the heat pumps is
greater than 2? Write a report based on the Minitab output below.
Find a 95% confidence interval.

MTB > ZTest 2 2 c1;

SUBC> Alternative 1.

Z-Test

Test of mu = 2.000 vs mu > 2.000

The assumed sigma = 2.00

Variable N Mean StDev SE Mean Z P-Value

C1 6 3.383 1.930 0.816 1.69 0.045

MTB >
H0 µ =2
H1 µ >2

Assumption

Normal population
Known standard deviation

Reject H0 at α = .05 if Z>1.645 or if p value is less than .05.

Computation From Minitab out put Z = 1.69 p value = .045

Reject H0 at α = .05

There is reason to believe that the mean life of the heat pumps is significantly
greater than 2.

Confidence interval

1.930(1.96)
3.383 ±
6
[1.839, 4.927]

Observe that the 95% confidence interval does contain 2. Thus, when testing
the hypothesis H0 µ=2 vs. the alternative H1 µ 2 H0 would not be rejected.
How is this possible in the light of the results obtained above?

The Case of an Unknown Population Standard Deviation

3. The maker of a certain model car claimed that his car averaged at least 31
miles per gallon of gasoline. A sample of nine cars was selected and each car
was driven with one gallon of regular gasoline. The sample showed a mean of
29.43 miles with a standard deviation of 3 miles. α = .05 what do you conclude
about the manufacturers claim?
H 0 m = 31
H 1 m < 31
Assumptions: Approximate normal population
Small sample
Unknown Standard deviation.
•
x -m
Reject H 0 at a= .05 if T = <—1.860
"
s’ n
29.43-3 1
T = =—1.57
"
3’ 9
Cannot reject H 0 at a = .05

There is insufficient evidence to doubt the

manufacturers claim concerning the gas mileage.

The P value is between .05 and .10. That is the

best we can do with the table.
Using the TI 83 gives an exact P value of .0775.

A volleyball coach claims that that a team member can force more than 3.4
liters out of her lungs (more than the claimed average for female college
students). A sample of nine observations yields the following results

3.4 3.6 3.8 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.7 3.6 3.7

Is there reason to believe that women that play volleyball can force more air out
of their lungs then other female college students?
Find a 95% confidence interval.
Minitab output

T-Test of the Mean

Test of mu = 3.4000 vs. mu > 3.4000

Variable N Mean StDev SE Mean T P-Value

C2 9 3.5556 0.1667 0.0556 2.80 0.012
Report

H0 µ = 3.4

H1 µ > 3.4

Approximate normal population

Small sample
Unknown standard deviation

Reject H0 if T > 1.86 or p value less than .05

From the Minitab output T = 2.80 and p value is .012.

Reject H0 at α =.05

There is significant evidence that women that play volleyball force more
significant air out of their lungs than other college students.

Confidence interval

t α / 2s
x±
n
2.306(.1667)
3.5556 ±
9
[3.427, 3.684]

A test of H0 µ = 3.4 vs H1 µ 3.4 would reject H0 at α = .05 because 3.4 is not

contained in the interval.