THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI

FACULTY OF SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

STA 3102N Hypothesis Testing

Assignment
Due Date: Wednesday, 27th May 2020

Instructions
1. This paper contains three questions. PLEASE check
2. Attempt all questions.

The aim of this assignment is to familiarize yourself with hypothesis testing (One sample, paired
and two independent samples test. Make sure you read the questions thoroughly and that all work
is your own. Suspected cheating will result in a zero for the assignment or worse! Present your
answers to each question as a report. Include calculations as necessary with an explanation. If
you draw a plot, please explain why you have drawn it and what you can see (if anything) in the
plot. If you present summary (and you should) for any data set, put them in a nice easy to read
table and summarize the results referring to the table.

1. a. A random sample of 200 women is taken and their mean height is found to be 180 cm. The
population variance  2  50 cm 2 . Find the 95 % confidence interval for µ, the mean height of
the population. (3 marks)

b. A random sample of stipends of teaching assistants in economics is listed. Is there

sufficient evidence at α= 0:05 level to conclude that the average stipend differs from K15,
000? The stipends listed (in Kwacha) are for the academic year.
14,000 18,000 12,000 14,356 13, 185

13,419 14,000 11,981 17, 604 12, 283

16,338 15,000 (6 marks)

c. Based on field experiments, a new variety of greengram is expected to give a yield of 13

quintals per hectare. The variety was tested on 12 randomly selected farmer fields. The
yields (quintal/hectare) were recorded as 14.3, 12.6, 13.7, 10.9, 13.7, 12.0, 11.4, 12.0, 13.1,
12.6, 13.4 and 13.1. Do the results conform the expectation at 5 % level of
significance? (6 marks)

STA 3102N: Hypothesis Testing Page 1

2. A person’s blood clotting ability is typically expressed in terms of a ‘prothrombin time’ which
is defined to be interval between the initiation of a prothrombin-thrombin reaction and the
formation of the final cloth. Factors affecting the length of a person’s prothrombin time have
a profound medical significance. A study was taken to determine what effect, if any, aspirin
has on this particular function. Twelve adult males participated. Their prothrombin times were
measured before and three hours after each was given two aspirin tablets (650 mg) and are
given below (Yochem and Roach, 1971):

Subject Before Aspirin After Aspirin

1 12.3 12.0
2 12.0 12.3
3 12.0 12.5
4 13.0 12.0
5 13.0 13.0
6 12.5 12.5
7 11.3 10.3
8 11.5 11.3
9 11.5 11.5
10 11.0 11.5
11 11.0 11.0
12 11.3 11.5

Does aspirin reduce prothrombin times? To answer the question your answer should include:
i. Some summary statistics for the data
ii. A hypothesis test (make sure to state your hypotheses)
iii. Any assumptions you have to make
iv. Confidence interval and an interpretation of the confidence interval
v. A summary of your findings, including an answer to the question
(10 marks)

3. Below are the prices of a six pack of biscuits from a sample of 16 supermarket and 26 oil
stations in Lilongwe.
4.65 4.55 4.11 4.15 4.2 4.55 3.8 4 4.19
Super market 4.75 4.74 4.5 4.1 4 5.05 4.2
4.82 5.29 4.89 4.95 4.55 4.9 5.25 5.3 4.29
Oil station 4.85 4.54 4.75 4.85 4.85 4.5 4.75 4.79 4.85
4.79 4.95 4.95 4.75 5.2 5.1 4.9 4.29

Is there a difference between the price in the oil station and the super market? If you were a
poor student and visiting Lilongwe, where would you buy your six pack?
Your answer should include:
i. Some summary statistics for the data
ii. A hypothesis test (make sure to state your hypotheses
iii. Any assumptions you have to make
iv. Confidence interval and an interpretation of the confidence interval
v. A summary of your findings, including an answer to the question.
(10 marks)
End of Paper

STA 3102N: Hypothesis Testing Page 2