2. Last Monday my research group collected snow depth measurement at a research site south of campus.

In
the field, there were 3 measurement locations (south, transect, and north) in which 9 measurements were
made in 3 separate 1 x 1m grids were sampled. For the 1-2 South grid, compute summary statistics (see Ch.
1), draw a boxplot and a probability plot, and compute the most appropriate 95% confidence intervals and
prediction intervals. ONLY DO THE ONE GRID.

Solution:
a) Summary statistics
(𝑋𝑖 − 𝑋)3 From lowest
2
Rank depth (cm) 𝑌𝑖 𝑋𝑖 − 𝑋 𝑋𝑖 − 𝑋 𝑑𝑖 𝑠3 to highest 𝑑𝑖
1 18.72 2.93 -1.73 3.01 1.88 -2.89 0.000
2 19.27 2.96 -1.18 1.40 1.33 -0.92 0.270
3 19.60 2.98 -0.85 0.73 1.00 -0.35 0.330
4 19.82 2.99 -0.63 0.40 0.78 -0.14 0.780
5 20.60 3.03 0.15 0.02 0.00 0.00 1.000
6 20.87 3.04 0.42 0.17 0.27 0.04 1.210
7 20.93 3.04 0.48 0.23 0.33 0.06 1.330
8 21.81 3.08 1.36 1.84 1.21 1.38 1.870
9 22.47 3.11 2.02 4.06 1.87 4.53 1.880

𝑛= 9 𝑋 2.50 𝑃0.25 = 19.44

𝑋= 20.45 𝑋 5.00 𝑃0.50 = 20.60
𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑋𝑖 = 20.60 𝑋 7.50 𝑃0.75 = 21.37
𝑠2 = 1.48
𝑠= 1.22
𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 = 20.45
𝑆𝐷 = 1.22
𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 20.60
𝐼𝑄𝑅 = 1.94
𝐺𝑀 = 20.42
𝑀𝐴𝐷 = 1.00
𝑔= 0.28
𝑞𝑠 = -0.20

b) Boxplot

depth (cm) Minimum 18.72

18.72 Q1 19.60
19.27 Median 20.60
19.60 Q3 20.93
19.82 Maximum 22.47
20.60
20.87 Mean 20.45
20.93 Range 3.75
21.81
22.47
c) Probability plot

(𝑖 − 0.4) 23
𝑝=
Rank Depth (cm) (𝑛 + 0.2) Zp
1 18.72 0.07 -1.51
22
2 19.27 0.17 -0.94

Snow depth (cm)

3 19.6 0.28 -0.58
21
4 19.82 0.39 -0.28
5 20.6 0.50 0.00
6 20.87 0.61 0.28 20
7 20.93 0.72 0.58
8 21.81 0.83 0.94 19
9 22.47 0.93 1.51
18
Mean 20.45 -2.00 -1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00
Median 20.60 Normal quantiles
Skewness 0.28

The dataset is very symmetric, it is represented in the low skewness factor. Also, in the plot we can see the
linear fit trendline matches with the behavior of the data.

d) Confidence interval
The parametric 95 percent interval estimate will be used, assuming that the dataset follows a normal
distribution

Rank 𝑥𝑖 𝑦𝑖 (𝑦𝑖 −𝑦)2 𝑦 = 3.02

1 18.72 2.93 0.008
σ 𝑦𝑖 − 𝑦 2
2 19.27 2.96 0.003 𝑆𝑦 2 = = 0.0035
(𝑛 − 1)
3 19.6 2.98 0.002
4 19.82 2.99 0.001
5 20.6 3.03 0.000 𝑆𝐷 = 𝑆𝑦 = 𝑆𝑦 2 = 0.0593
6 20.87 3.04 0.000
7 20.93 3.04 0.001 -𝑡 𝛼 = -2.306 𝑡 𝛼
,𝑛−1
= 2.306
,𝑛−1 2
2
8 21.81 3.08 0.004
9 22.47 3.11 0.009
27.15 0.028 𝐺𝑀𝑐 = 20.42

2
𝑠𝑦 𝑠𝑦2
𝑦-𝑡 𝛼 ∗ ≤𝐺𝑀𝑐 ≤ 𝑦 −𝑡 𝛼 ∗
,𝑛−1 𝑛 ,𝑛−1 𝑛 The confidence interval is:
𝑒 2 𝑒 2
19.51 ≤ 𝐺𝑀𝑐 ≤ 21.37
2
𝑠𝑦
𝑦-𝑡 𝛼 ∗ = 19.51
,𝑛−1 𝑛
𝑒 2

2
𝑠𝑦
𝑦+𝑡 𝛼 ∗ = 21.37
,𝑛−1 𝑛
𝑒 2
d) Prediction interval
A symmetric distribution is assumed. Two sided parametric prediction interval is computed:
𝑠2 𝑠2
𝑃𝐼 = 𝑋+𝑡 𝛼
,𝑛−1
∗ 𝑠2 + 𝑡𝑜 𝑋+𝑡 𝛼
1− ,𝑛−1
∗ 𝑠2 +
2 𝑛 2 𝑛

𝑡 𝛼
,𝑛−1
= −1.86 𝑡 𝛼
1− ,𝑛−1
= 1.86
2 2

𝑥= 20.45
s= 1.22
n= 9

𝑠2
𝑋+𝑡 𝛼 ∗ 𝑠2 + = 18.07
,𝑛−1 𝑛
2

The prediction interval is:

𝑠2
𝑋+𝑡 𝛼
1− ,𝑛−1
∗ 𝑠2 + = 22.84 18.07 to 22.84
2 𝑛