The Test-Statistic

Value for the

Population Mean
FrankBenz
TEST STATISTIC

a quantity calculated
from a sample data;
used to decide whether
the null hypothesis
should be rejected in a
hypothesis test
 𝒛-test
used when the population variance 𝜎 2 or
standard deviation 𝜎 is known or when the
sample size 𝑛 is sufficiently large, that is, 𝑛 ≥ 30
The 𝑧-score is obtained using the formula
(ഥ
𝒙 − 𝝁) 𝒏
𝒛=
𝝈
where 𝑥ҧ is the sample mean, 𝜇 is the hypothesized population
mean, 𝜎 is the population standard deviation, and 𝑛 is the sample
size.
 𝒕-test
used if the population variance 𝜎 and
2

standard deviation 𝜎 is unknown and the

sample size is not sufficiently large
The 𝑡-score is obtained using the formula
(ഥ
𝒙 − 𝝁) 𝒏
𝒕=
𝒔
where 𝒙
ഥ is the sample mean, 𝝁 is the hypothesized population
mean, 𝒔 is the population standard deviation, and 𝑛 is the sample
size.
Example 1. Identify the appropriate test
statistic to be used given the following:
𝜇 = 30, 𝑛 = 12, 𝑥 = 28, 𝑠 = 12 . Then,
compute for the test statistic.
t-test is used since (ഥ
𝒙 − 𝝁) 𝒏
sample size is 𝒕=
𝒔
small and (𝟐𝟖 − 𝟑𝟎) 𝟏𝟐
𝒕=
population 𝟏𝟐
standard deviation
𝒕 = −𝟎. 𝟓𝟕𝟕
is unknown.
Example 2. Compute the test statistic if a
random sample of 50 students taken from a
population with mean 38 and standard
deviation of 12. The sample mean is determined
to be 42.
z-test is used since (ഥ
𝒙 − 𝝁) 𝒏
sample size is 𝒛 =
𝝈
large and (𝟒𝟐 − 𝟑𝟖) 𝟓𝟎
𝒛=
population 𝟏𝟐
standard deviation
is known. 𝒛 = 𝟐. 𝟑𝟔
Try!
1. Identify the appropriate test statistic to be used given the
following: 𝜇 = 70, 𝑛 = 15, 𝑥 = 97, and 𝑠 = 21.90. Then
compute for the test statistic.

2. Identify the appropriate test statistic to be used given the

following: 𝜇 = 200, 𝑛 = 225, 𝑥 = 250 ,and 𝜎 = 35.90. Then
compute for the test statistic.
A new drug in the market is
claimed by its manufacturers to
reduce acne marks in 14 days of
continuous use with a standard
deviation of 2.15 days. One
hundred test users were chosen
and reported to reduce acne marks
to none in 12.56 days. What is the
test statistic for the problem?