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The formula used to calculate a confidence interval for the mean of a normal population is $$ \bar{x} \pm(t \text { critical value }) \frac{s}{\sqrt{n}} $$ What is the appropriate \(t\) critical value for each of the following confidence levels and sample sizes? a. \(95 \%\) confidence, \(n=17\) b. \(99 \%\) confidence, \(n=24\) c. \(90 \%\) confidence, \(n=13\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The t critical values for each scenario are: a. 95% confidence, n=17: \(t_{critical} \approx 2.12\) b. 99% confidence, n=24: \(t_{critical} \approx 2.807\) c. 90% confidence, n=13: \(t_{critical} \approx 1.782\)

Step by step solution

01

Find Degrees of Freedom

In each case, we need to first find the degrees of freedom (df) by subtracting 1 from the sample size (n). a. n = 17, df = 17-1 = 16 b. n = 24, df = 24-1 = 23 c. n = 13, df = 13-1 = 12
02

Calculate the T Critical Values

For each case, we need to find the t critical value given the desired confidence level and the degrees of freedom. a. For a 95% confidence level and 16 degrees of freedom: The t critical value in the t-distribution table is calculated by finding the intersection of the row with 16 degrees of freedom and the column labeled with the 95% confidence level. Alternatively, we can use statistical software to get this value. \(t_{critical} \approx 2.12\) b. For a 99% confidence level and 23 degrees of freedom: The t critical value in the t-distribution table is calculated by finding the intersection of the row with 23 degrees of freedom and the column labeled with the 99% confidence level. Alternatively, we can use statistical software to get this value. \(t_{critical} \approx 2.807\) c. For a 90% confidence level and 12 degrees of freedom: The t critical value in the t-distribution table is calculated by finding the intersection of the row with 12 degrees of freedom and the column labeled with the 90% confidence level. Alternatively, we can use statistical software to get this value. \(t_{critical} \approx 1.782\) In summary, the t critical values for each scenario are: a. 95% confidence, n=17: \(t_{critical} \approx 2.12\) b. 99% confidence, n=24: \(t_{critical} \approx 2.807\) c. 90% confidence, n=13: \(t_{critical} \approx 1.782\)

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

T Critical Value
Understanding the t critical value is integral when calculating confidence intervals for a sample mean. It refers to the cutoff point on a t-distribution. To explain the t critical value in simpler terms, imagine a curve that outlines the probability of data points in a sample. For a given confidence level—like 95% or 99%—the t critical value marks the boundary beyond which a certain percentage of the data points are expected to lie.

For instance, if you are working with a 95% confidence level, the t critical value tells us that we can expect 95% of sample means to fall within this interval if we were to draw an infinite number of samples from the population. The remaining 5% is split equally on both tails of the distribution, indicating the regions considered highly unlikely for the sample means to occur. To find this value, you can refer to a t-distribution table or use statistical software, based on the degrees of freedom for your data.
Degrees of Freedom
The concept of degrees of freedom (df) is like a tally of the number of values in a calculation that are free to vary. When calculating confidence intervals, degrees of freedom are critical because they determine the exact shape of the t-distribution you’re working with.

To put it simply, for a given sample size, subtract one to get your degrees of freedom (df = n - 1). Why subtract one? Because when estimating a population parameter like the mean, one value is lost to the sample mean calculation itself; it's this sample mean that constrains the system, leaving us with one less 'free' data point. This number then guides us in selecting the correct row in the t-distribution table for finding the t critical value.
T-Distribution
The t-distribution is a key player when we work with small sample sizes, especially when the population standard deviation is unknown. The shape of a t-distribution is similar to the normal distribution—bell-shaped and symmetric—but with thicker tails. This shape means that there's a higher probability for values to fall further from the mean as compared to a normal distribution.

As sample size increases, the t-distribution gets closer to the normal distribution. This happens because, with more data, the estimate of the standard deviation becomes more reliable. When using the t-distribution to calculate the t critical value, remember that the specific form of the distribution is selected based on degrees of freedom, which correspond to the sample size.
Sample Size
Sample size is the number of observations or data points in a sample. It's denoted as 'n' and is an essential element for determining degrees of freedom and the shape of the t-distribution.

Why is sample size so important? Larger samples tend to more closely resemble the population from which they are drawn, providing a more accurate representation and allowing us to use the normal distribution as our model. However, with smaller samples, we must adjust our methods and rely on the t-distribution, as it accounts for the increased variability and uncertainty. The size of your sample also affects the width of the confidence interval: smaller samples generally lead to wider intervals, reflecting higher uncertainty around the estimate of the mean. It's a delicate balance; a too-small sample could lead to unreliable results, whereas an unnecessarily large sample might waste resources.

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