APPLICATION OF STATISTICAL CONCEPTS IN

THE DETERMINATION OF WEIGHT VARIATION

IN SAMPLES
I.J. BRAGANCIA
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY 1101, PHILIPPINES
DATE SUBMITTED: 2 FEBRUARY 2016
DATE PERFORMED: 28 JANUARY 2016

EXPERIMENT 1: ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1.

Give the significance of Grubbs Test.

Samples from data sets may contain outliers. Outliers are not good in the data; and
Grubbs Test can be used in rejecting outliers from the data acquired from experiments [1].
This test is also one of the frequently used for finding outliers [1]. Just like in this experiment
(Exp. 1), using Grubbs Test, we found out that the highest suspected value of weight of a
sample is an outlier; therefore we exclude it in the computation of the reported values so that
the computed values will precisely represent the samples.

2.

Give the significance of the mean and standard deviation.

The mean is a measure of central tendency and is one of the commonly used [1]. It is the
average of a given data of samples. We use it in order to get the value that will represent the
values of a data, averagely [1].
Standard deviation is a measure of precision [1]. It is used to indicate how disperse the
values of a data is and it is based on deviation of individual values from the mean [2]. With this,
we will know whether datas distribution is spread out over a broad range or gathers up nearly
around the mean [2].
3.

Give the significance of confidence interval.

Its significance is that it provides an estimate interval of the data of the samples, which

gives us a measure of precision or confidence around a computed point value or the mean [3].
4.

How do statistics calculated from data set 1 differ from those obtained from data set 2?
The statistics calculated from both of data sets are somewhat similar. The reported values
from the two data sets differ minutely. The outlier in both data sets is the same and it is the
highest suspected value and after rejecting it and excluded it in the computation, the mean and
standard deviation values in data sets 1 and 2 are near to each other. However, though the
difference is not large, the RSD, R, RR between the two data sets differ unlikely, in terms of tens
digit, tenths digit, or hundredths digit, respectively. The confidence interval is nearly similar in
both data sets, maybe because they have the same rounded up mean, but differs about 0.01 in the
boundaries of confidence interval.

TABULATED REPORTED VALUES**

**can be found in the data sheet

WORKING EQUATIONS

Mean*

Standard deviation*

Relative standard deviation (RSD)

Range (R)

Relative range (RR)

Confidence limits (CL)

Grubbs (Gexp)

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
*mean and standard deviation values were acquired from the scientific calculator

Gexp

RSD

RR

CL

REFERENCES
[1] Institute of Chemistry. 2013. Chemistry 26.1 Elementary Quantitative Inorganic Analysis Laboratory Manual.
Quezon City: UP Diliman. 7-9.
[2] Fischler Graduate School Education. Lesson 2: The Standard Deviation and the Normal Curve. Nova Southeastern
University. Available in the internet: http://www.fgse.nova.edu/edl/secure/stats/lesson2.htm
[3] KFL&A Public Health. Understanding Confidence Intervals and Statistical Significance in Facts & Figures.
Available in the internet: http://www.kflapublichealth.ca/files/static/Understanding_Facts_-_Figures.pdf