Chapter 10: Problem 8
A simple random sample of size \(n=320\) adults was asked their favorite ice cream flavor. Of the 320 individuals surveyed, 58 responded that they preferred mint chocolate chip. Do less than \(25 \%\) of adults prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream? Use the \(\alpha=0.01\) level of significance.
Short Answer
Expert verified
Less than 25% of adults prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Step by step solution
01
- State the Hypotheses
Identify the null hypothesis \(H_0\) and the alternative hypothesis \(H_a\). \(H_0: p = 0.25\) (The proportion of adults who prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream is 25%) and \(H_a: p < 0.25\) (The proportion of adults who prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream is less than 25%).
02
- Calculate the Sample Proportion
Determine the sample proportion \(\hat{p}\) by dividing the number of adults who prefer mint chocolate chip by the total sample size: \(\hat{p} = \frac{58}{320} = 0.18125\).
03
- Calculate the Standard Error
Calculate the standard error (SE) of the sample proportion using the formula: \text{SE} = \sqrt{\frac{p(1-p)}{n}}\, where \(p = 0.25\) and \(n = 320\). \[ \text{SE} = \sqrt{\frac{0.25(1-0.25)}{320}} = 0.024206 \]
04
- Compute the Test Statistic
Calculate the test statistic (z) using the formula: \ z = \frac{\hat{p} - p}{\text{SE}} \: \[ z = \frac{0.18125 - 0.25}{0.024206} = -2.838 \]
05
- Determine the p-value
Find the p-value corresponding to the computed test statistic from the standard normal distribution table. For \(z = -2.838\), the p-value is approximately \(0.00226\).
06
- Compare the p-value with the Significance Level
Compare the p-value with the significance level \(\alpha = 0.01\). Since \(0.00226 < 0.01\), reject the null hypothesis.
07
- State the Conclusion
Conclude that there is sufficient evidence at the \(\alpha = 0.01\) level of significance to support the claim that less than 25% of adults prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Null Hypothesis
In statistical hypothesis testing, the null hypothesis (\(H_0\)) represents the default assumption that nothing has changed or there is no effect. It's like saying the status quo holds true. In this exercise, the null hypothesis is: \(H_0: p = 0.25\). This means we assume the proportion of adults who prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream is 25%. Null hypotheses are crucial because they set a baseline which we test against.
Alternative Hypothesis
The alternative hypothesis (\(H_a\)) is what you want to test for. It's the challenger to the status quo. For this problem, the alternate hypothesis is: \(H_a: p < 0.25\). This means you are testing if the proportion of adults who prefer mint chocolate chip ice cream is less than 25%. The alternative hypothesis is directly linked to the research question and determines the type of test you will conduct (one-tailed or two-tailed).
P-value
A p-value helps determine the significance of the results in relation to the null hypothesis. It quantifies the probability of observing the test results, assuming the null hypothesis is true. A small p-value indicates that the observed data is inconsistent with the null hypothesis. For instance, in this ice cream problem, the calculated p-value was approximately 0.00226. If this p-value is less than the significance level (\(\alpha = 0.01\)), we reject the null hypothesis.
Significance Level
The significance level, denoted by \(\alpha\), is a threshold set by the researcher which defines how much risk we are willing to take of rejecting a true null hypothesis. In simpler terms, it's your tolerance for making a Type I error (false positive). In this problem, the significance level is 0.01. This means we are willing to accept a 1% chance that we will incorrectly reject the null hypothesis. The p-value is compared to this significance level to make a decision.
Standard Error
The Standard Error (SE) reflects the variability or precision of the sample proportion as an estimate of the population proportion. For hypothesis testing, it's calculated using: \(\text{SE} = \sqrt{\frac{p(1-p)}{n}}\), where \(p\) is the assumed population proportion and \(n\) is the sample size. In this ice cream example, the SE is calculated as: \(\text{SE} = \sqrt{\frac{0.25(1-0.25)}{320}} = 0.024206\). Understanding SE helps in interpreting how much sample proportions might fluctuate.
Test Statistic
A test statistic is a standardized value derived from sample data used to test a hypothesis. For proportions, the test statistic for a z-test is calculated as: \(z = \frac{\hat{p} - p}{\text{SE}}\), where \(\hat{p}\) refers to the sample proportion, \(p\) to the hypothesized proportion, and \(SE\) to the standard error. In this exercise, the test statistic is: \(z = \frac{0.18125 - 0.25}{0.024206} = -2.838\). This value is then used to find the p-value and make an inference about the null hypothesis.