Math 227

8.2 Testing a Claim About a Proportion

To test a claim about a proportion, the following three requirements must be satisfied:
1. The sample observations are a simple random sample.
2. The conditions for a binomial distribution are satisfied (i.e. there is a fixed number of
independent trials, each trial has two outcome categories of “success” and “failure,” and the
probability of success remains the same in all trials).
3. The conditions 𝑛𝑝 ≥ 5 and 𝑛𝑞 ≥ 5 are both satisfied, so the binomial distribution of sample
proportions can be approximated by a normal distribution with 𝜇 = 𝑛𝑝 and 𝜎 = )𝑛𝑝𝑞, where 𝑝
is the assumed proportion used in the claim, not the sample proportion 𝑝̂ .

,-.,
The test statistic is 𝑧 = 01
/
2

Example: Based on information from the National Cyber Security Alliance, 93% of computer owners
believe that they have antivirus programs installed on their computers. In a random sample of 400
scanned computers, it found that 380 of them (or 95%) actually have the antivirus programs. Use the
sample data from the scanned computers to test the claim that 93% of computers have antivirus
programs, using the 𝑃-value method.

Pierce College // MDP 1

Math 227
Example: Based on information from the National Cyber Security Alliance, 93% of computer owners
believe that they have antivirus programs installed on their computers. In a random sample of 400
scanned computers, it found that 380 of them (or 95%) actually have the antivirus programs. Use the
sample data from the scanned computers to test the claim that 93% of computers have antivirus
programs, using the confidence interval method.

Pierce College // MDP 2

Math 227
Example: When the county clerk in Essex County, New Jersey, selected candidates for positions on
election ballots, Democrats were selected first in 40 of 41 ballots. Since he was supposed to use a
method of random selection, Republicans claimed that instead of using randomness, he used a
method that favored Democrats. Use a 0.05 significance level to test the claim that the method
favored Democrats. Use the 𝑃-value method and confidence interval method.

Pierce College // MDP 3