Biology 300, Biometrics

Key to Homework #3
Answer each question and show intermediate calculations.

1. Middle-aged adults were surveyed and asked if they still had their tonsils. Of the 500 adults that
responded, 445 answered “yes.” Use the normal distribution to find a 95% confidence interval (to
three decimal places) for the probability that a middle-aged adult still has tonsils. (3 points)
Binomial data with N = 500 and X = 445. Find 95% CI for binomial proportion p.

ˆ ˆ ˆ
Estimated Values: p = X/N = 445/500 = 0.89, q = 1 – p = 1 – 0.89 = 0.11.

95% Confidence Interval: (1)  = 0.05.

(2) A = (1–(1–0.01)/2 = 0.95/2 = 0.475.
(3) Z = 1.960 from Table A. (Can also use the last row of Table B, two-sided for  = 0.05.)
(4) p = pˆ  Z Sqrt[ pˆ qˆ / N]
= 0.890  1.960 Sqrt[(0.8900)(0.1100) / 500]
= 0.890  1.960 Sqrt[0.0979 / 500]
= 0.890  1.960 Sqrt[0.0001958]
= 0.890  1.960 (0.0139929)
= 0.890  0.027
p is in (0.863, 0.917) with a 95% probability

2. Body weight was measured for eight gray squirrels: 577, 760, 677, 804, 710, 816, 769, 659 g. Find
a 99% confidence interval (to one decimal place) for the mean body weight. (3 points)

X X*X Sample size: n = 8

577 332929
Arithmetic mean: x =  X)/n = 5772 / 8 = 721.5 g
760 577600
677 458329 Standard deviation: s = Sqrt([( X2) – ( X)2/n] /[n–1])
804 646416 = Sqrt([(4210872) – (5772)2/8] / [8–1])
710 504100
= Sqrt([4210872 – 33315984/8] / 7)
816 665856
769 591361 = Sqrt([4210872 – 4164498] / 7)
659 434281 = Sqrt(46374 / 7) = Sqrt(6624.8571) = 81.39323 = 81.4 g
SUM: 5772 4210872
99% Confidence Interval: (1)  = 0.01
(2) df = n–1 = 8–1 = 7
(3) t = 3.499 from Table B (two-sided for  = 0.05)
(4)  = x  t [s/Sqrt(n)]
= 721.5  3.499 [81.39323 / Sqrt(8)]
= 721.5 3.499 [81.39323 / 2.828427]
= 721.5  3.499 [28.76625]
= 721.5  100.7
 is in (620.8, 822.2) g with 99% confidence
 Biometrics Key to Homework Assignment 3 Page 2

3. Pollution remediation was conducted for a wetland area. A historical study conducted before the area
was polluted reported that 75% of turtle eggs hatched successfully. After remediation, a sample of
120 eggs were sampled and 84 of them hatched. Test the hypothesis that the probability of hatching
is unchanged from the historical value. Use a 5% level of significance. (3 points)
Sample size: N = 120.

Estimated probability of female: pˆ = X / N = 84 / 120 = 0.70

Our null hypothesis is that the true value of p is p0 =0.75 and q0 = 1–p0 = 1–0.75 = 0.25.

(1) H0: p = 0.75

H1: p0.75 (two-sided)

(2)  = 0.05

(3) Two-sided Z-test for binomial proportion. Test statistic is Z = ( pˆ – p0) / Sqrt(p0q0/N).

(4)  = 0.05 and A = 0.5–/2 = 0.475. Table A gives Z = 1.960. (Or use Table B with df = .)
Reject H0 if Z < –1.960 or Z > 1.960.

(5) Z = (0.70–0.75) / Sqrt[0.75 (0.25) / 120]

= –0.05 / Sqrt[0.1875 / 120]
= –0.05 / Sqrt[0.0015625] = –0.05 / 0.0395285 = –1.265

(6) Do not reject H0. There is no evidence that the probability of hatching is different from the historical value.

4. Triglyceride levels were measured for five adult volunteers before and two months after taking garlic
pill supplements. Test the hypothesis that there was no change in mean triglyceride levels against the
alternative that triglyceride levels decreased. Use a 5% level of significance. (4 points)

Triglyceride Levels (mg/dL)

Before garlic pills After garlic pills Before After D D*D
171 163 -8 64
171 163 155 155 0 0
155 155 183 176 -7 49
148 151 3 9
183 176 179 168 -11 121
148 151 SUM: -23 243
179 168

Sample size: n = 5 (1) H0: D = 0 versus H1: D  0 (one-sided)

Mean: d =  D)/n = –23 / 5 = –4.6 mg/dL (2)  = 0.05

Std dev: sd = Sqrt([( D2) – ( D)2/n] / [n–1]) (3) One-sided paired t-test with df = n–1 = 5–1 = 4.
= Sqrt([243 – (–23)2/5] / [5–1]) Test statistic: t = d / [sd/Sqrt(n)].
= Sqrt([243 – 529/5] / 4)
(4) Reject H0 if t < –t4 = –2.132.
= Sqrt([243 – 105.8] / 4)
= Sqrt(137.2 / 4) (5) t = –4.6 / [5.85662 / Sqrt(5)]
= Sqrt(34.3) = 5.85662 = 5.9 mg/dL = –4.6 / [5.85662 / 2.236068]
= –4.6 / [2.61916] = –1.756

(6) Do not reject H0. There is no evidence for a decrease in mean

triglyceride concentration after taking garlic pill supplements.
 Biometrics Key to Homework Assignment 3 Page 3

5. Chlorophyll absorbance was measure for leaf extracts from diploid and tetraploid plants. Test the
hypothesis of no difference in mean chlorophyll absorbance of diploids and tetrapoloids versus the
alternative that a difference exists. Use a 5% level of significance. (4 points)
Chlorophyll Absorbance
Diploids Tetraploids
0.42 0.55 X1 X2 X1^2 X2^2
0.42 0.55 0.1764 0.3025
0.57 0.64 0.57 0.64 0.3249 0.4096
0.51 0.62 0.51 0.62 0.2601 0.3844
0.46 0.59 0.46 0.59 0.2116 0.3481
0.49 0.65 0.2401 0.4225
0.49 0.65 SUM: 2.45 3.05 1.2131 1.8671

Sample sizes: n1 = 5 and n2= 5
Means: x1 =  X1)/n1 = 2.45/5 = 0.490
x2 =  X2)/n2 = 3.05/5 = 0.610
SS1 = ( X12) – ( X1)2/n
= 1.2131 – (2.45)2 / 5
= 1.2131 – 6.0025 / 5
= 1.2131 – 1.2005 = 0.0126
SS2 = ( X22) – ( X2)2/n
= 1.8671 – (3.05)2 / 5
= 1.8671 – 9.3025 / 5
= 1.8671 – 1.8605 = 0.0066
Pooled Std Dev: sp =Sqrt[(SS1 + SS2) / (n1+n2–2)]
=Sqrt[(0.0126 + 0.0066) / (5+5–2)]
= Sqrt[0.0192 / 8]
= Sqrt[0.0024] = 0.0489898 = 0.049
(1) H0: 1–2 = 0 versus H1: 1–2  0 (two-sided)
(2)  = 0.05
(3) Two-sided t-test for two groups with df = n1+n2–2 = 5+5–2 = 8.
Test statistic: t = (x1–x2)/[sp Sqrt(1/n1 + 1/n2)].
(4) Reject H0 if t < –t8 = –2.306 or t > t8 = 2.306.
(5) t = (0.490–0.610)/[0.0489898 Sqrt(1/5 + 1/5)]
= –0.12 / [0.0489898 Sqrt(0.40)]
= –0.12 / [0.0489898 (0.632456)] = –0.12 / 0.0309839 = –3.873

(6) Reject H0. There is evidence for a difference in mean chlorophyll

absorbance between diploids and tetraploids.

6. Mating territory sizes were measured for two species of sparrow. For the Sage sparrow, a
measurement of n1 = 11 territories yielded a mean of x 1 = 2.32 ha with a standard deviation of
s1 = 0.60 ha. For the Brewer’s sparrow, a measurement of n2 = 16 territories yielded a mean of
x 2 = 1.56 ha with a standard deviation of s2 = 0.54 ha. Test the hypothesis of no difference in mean
territory sizes versus the alternative that a difference exits. Use a 1% level of significance. (3 points)
Sum of Squares: SS1 = (n1 –1) (s1)2 = (11–1) (0.60)2 = (10) (0.3600) = 3.600
SS2 = (n2 –1) (s2)2 = (16–1) (0.54)2 = (15) (0.2916) = 4.374

Pooled Std Dev: sp = Sqrt[(SS1 + SS2) / (n1+n2–2)]

= Sqrt[(3.600 + 4.374) / (11+16–2)]
= Sqrt[7.974 / 25] = Sqrt[0.31896] = 0.56476544 = 0.56 ha

(1) H0: 1–2 = 0 versus H1: 1–2  0 (two-sided)

(2)  = 0.01

(3) Two-sided t-test for two groups with df = n1+n2–2 = 11+16–2 = 25. Test statistic: t = (x1–x2) / [sp Sqrt(1/n1 + 1/n2)].

(4) Reject H0 if t <– t25 = –2.787 or t < t25 = 2.787.

(5) t = (2.32–1.56) / [0.56476544 Sqrt(1/11 + 1/16)]

= 0.76 / [0.56476544 Sqrt(0.09090909 + 0.06250000)] (6) Reject H0. There is evidence for a difference in mean
territory sizes for the two species of sparrows.
= 0.76 / [0.56476544 Sqrt(0.15340909)]
= 0.76 / [0.56476544 (0.39167472)] = 0.76 / 0.22120435 = 3.436