4.

3 Hypothesis Tests for the Mean

Hypothesis Tests

A hypothesis test is a formal method of making a decision about a population using

sample statistics. In a hypothesis test, someone makes a claim about a population
parameter and this claim is then interpreted into a ”hypothesis”. A sample is
developed for evidence and probability is used to decide whether or not there is enough
evidence to ”reject” or ”fail to reject” the hypothesis. The hypothesis is then
interpreted to the context of the original claim.
The 4-Steps to a Hypothesis Test

1. Create a Hypothesis
2. Calculate a p-value
3. Make a Decision
4. Interpret the Decision
Create a Hypothesis

In order to create our hypothesis, we need to identify the claim. The claim is the
statement that is generalized for the entire population. Once we have identified the
claim, we want to interpret it mathematically and then place it into one of two
categories:
1. Null Hypothesis, H0
2. Alternative Hypothesis, H1
If the claim contains any form of equality (≥, ≤, or =), then we label it as the Null
Hypothesis. If the claim has a statement of inequality (>, <, or 6=), then we label it as
the Alternative Hypothesis. Depending on which the claim is, we will fill in the other
hypothesis with the opposite of your claim.
Example of Creating a Hypothesis
In an advertisement, a pizza delivery company claims that its mean delivery time for all
pizzas is less than 30 minutes.
Calculate a p-value

In order to show that a statement is false, we assume that it is true and try to prove it
is false. In our case, we will always assume that the null hypothesis is true (regardless
of whether or not it is the claim) and try to prove that it is value.

The p-value is the probability that the null hypothesis is true. In order to calculate the
p-value, we will use the calculator function TTest for a hypothesis test with a mean.
Example of Calculating a p-value
In an advertisement, a pizza delivery company claims that its mean delivery time for all
pizzas is less than 30 minutes. To test this claim, you form a random sample of 35
delivery times, the mean of which is 28.2 minutes and the standard deviation is 4.7
minutes.
Make a Decision

In this step, we will either decide to ”reject the null hypothesis” or ”fail to reject the
null hypothesis since that is what we are assuming is true to begin with. To do this, we
must compare the p-value to the level of significance, the probability of error, α.
This will always be given in a problem.

1. If p ≤ α, reject the null hypothesis.

2. If p > α, fail to reject the null hypothesis.
Example of Making a Decision
In an advertisement, a pizza delivery company claims that its mean delivery time for all
pizzas is less than 30 minutes. To test this claim, you form a random sample of 35
delivery times, the mean of which is 28.2 minutes and the standard deviation is 4.7
minutes. Use this sample data to test the pizza shop’s claim using a level of
significance of 5%.
Interpret the Decision

Once we have made our decision, there is one sentence that we need to fill in two
blanks for.

”There (is/is not) enough evidence to (reject/support) the claim that...”

For the first part, if you ”reject the null hypothesis”, choose ”is”. If you ”fail to reject
the null hypothesis” choose ”is not”.
For the second part, if the original claim was H0 , choose ”reject”. If the original claim
was H1 , choose ”support”.
Example of Interpreting the Decision
In an advertisement, a pizza delivery company claims that its mean delivery time for all
pizzas is less than 30 minutes. To test this claim, you form a random sample of 35
delivery times, the mean of which is 28.2 minutes and the standard deviation is 4.7
minutes. Use this sample data to test the pizza shop’s claim using a level of
significance of 5%.
Summary

1. Create a Hypothesis by writing the claim as either H0 or H1 . If it contains equality,

it is an H0 and if it does not it is an H1 . Always have both a H0 and a H1 .
2. Calculate the p-value by using the appropriate test.
3. Make a decision about the null hypothesis (H0 ). If p ≤ α, reject the null
hypothesis. If p > α, fail to reject the null hypothesis.
4. Interpret the decision. ”There (is/is not) enough evidence to (reject/support) the
claim that...”
Example
The National Center for Education Statistics claims that the average age for high
school graduates is more than 17.9 years. In order to test this claim, a sample of 25
high school graduates resulted in a mean age of 18.0 years with a standard deviation of
0.4 years. Using a 2% level of significance, test the claim.
Example
A manager of a cell phone store claims that the average monthly cell phone bill at his
store is less than $105. A sample of 40 customers’ bills was taken and the mean was
$109.68 with a standard deviation of $11.45. Test the manager’s claim using α = 0.10.
Example
A survey claims that the average cost of a hotel room in Atlanta is $85 per night. In
order to test the claim, a researcher selects a sample of 35 hotel rooms and finds that
the average cost is $79.43. The standard deviation of his sample is $8.72. Using
α = 0.05, test the survey’s claim.