SHS009

Statistics and Probability

Hypothesis Testing (Part 2)

Null and Alternative Hypothesis

The null hypothesis (Ho) is the commonly accepted fact; it is the opposite of the alternative
hypothesis (Ha). Researchers work to reject, nullify or disprove the null hypothesis. Researchers
come up with an alternative hypothesis, one that they think explains a phenomenon and then
work to reject the null hypothesis.

The alternative hypothesis is just an opposite to the null. For example, if your null is I’m
going to win 1 million then your alternative is I’m going to win more than 1 million. Basically, you
are looking at whether there’s enough change (with the alternative hypothesis) to be able to reject
the null hypothesis.

Formulate the null and alternative hypothesis of the following and express in terms of the
equality symbols used for Ho and Ha.

Example 1
1. A Barangay Captain from a certain barangay in Manila claims that the average monthly
income of families with five members from his vicinity is P 12,000.

Solution:
So the given the problem above, Ho: The average monthly income of families with five members
from his vicinity is P12000. (Ho: μ = 12000)
And to oppose Ho, we have Ha: The average monthly income of families with five members from
his vicinity is not P12000. (Ha: μ ≠ 12000)

Example 2
1.1. A Barangay Captain from a certain barangay in Manila claims that the average monthly
income of families with five members from his vicinity is greater than P 12,000.

Solution:
Given the problem above, since equal sign is only allowed in Null Hypothesis then the statement
above should be placed on Alternative Hypothesis.
Ha: The average monthly income of families with five members from his vicinity is greater than
P12, 000. (Ha: μ > 12000)
And to oppose that therefore, the null hypothesis is H o: The average monthly income of families
with five members from his vicinity is not greater than P12000. (H o: μ ≤ 12000)

Example 3
1.2. A Barangay Captain from a certain barangay in Manila claims that the average monthly
income of families with five members from his vicinity is lower than P 12,000.
 SHS009
Statistics and Probability
Hypothesis Testing (Part 2)

Solution:
Given the problem above, since equal sign is only allowed in Null Hypothesis then the statement
above should be placed on Alternative Hypothesis.
Ha: The average monthly income of families with five members from his vicinity is lower than
P12000. (Ha: μ < 12000)
And to oppose that therefore, the null hypothesis is H o: The average monthly income of families
with five members from his vicinity is not lower than P12000. (H o: μ ≥12000)

Example 4
The teacher claims that there is no significant difference the mean scores of morning and
afternoon classes in their Math Exam.

Solution:
Let μ1 = mean score of students in morning class in a Math Exam
Let μ2 = mean score of students in afternoon class in a Math Exam
No significant difference means that they are just the same so null hypothesis would be:
Ho: There is no significant difference between the mean scores of morning and afternoon classes.
(Ho: μ1 = μ2)
And to oppose that, therefore alternative hypothesis would be:
Ha: There is a significant difference between the mean scores of morning and afternoon classes.
(Ha: μ1 ≠ μ2)

Example 5
The teacher claims that the mean score of morning class is higher than the mean score of
afternoon class in their Math Exam.

Solution:
Let μ1 = mean score of students in morning class in a Math Exam
Let μ2 = mean score of students in afternoon class in a Math Exam
Given the problem above, since equal sign is only allowed in Null Hypothesis then the statement
above should be placed on Alternative Hypothesis.
Ha: The mean score of morning class is higher than the mean score of afternoon class in their
Math Exam. (Ha: μ1>μ2)
So its null hypothesis will be
Ho: The mean score of morning class is not higher than the mean score of afternoon class in their
Math Exam. (Ho: μ1 ≤ μ2)

Test Statistic

It is mathematical formula that allows the researchers to determine the likelihood of

obtaining sample outcomes if the null hypothesis were true.

Testing Means I: Large Sample Size or Known Variance

Z test of One Population Mean

𝑥̅ − 𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎/√𝑛
 SHS009
Statistics and Probability
Hypothesis Testing (Part 2)

Large Sample Size or Known Variance is also known as Z-test. Z-test is a test statistic whose
population variance is equal to 𝜎 2 .
Usually in conducting Z-test, n is > 30.
𝑥̅ −𝜇
Then the formula given above is 𝑧 = where 𝑥̅ is sample mean, µ is population mean, σ is the
𝜎/√𝑛
population standard deviation, and n is the number of observations collected.

Testing Means I: Large Sample Size or Known Variance

Z test of Two Population Means
𝜇 −𝜇
𝒛= 1 2
𝜎 2𝜎 2
√ 1+ 2
𝑛 1𝑛 2

𝜇1 −𝜇2
The formula given above is 𝑧 = where µ1 and µ2 are population means, σ12 and σ22 are
𝜎2 𝜎2
√ 1+ 2
𝑛1 𝑛2

population variances and n1 and n2 are number of observations on each group.

Testing Means I: Large Sample Size or Known Variance

Z table:

Testing Means II: Small Sample Size or Unknown Variance

t – test of One Sample Mean
𝑥̅ −𝜇
t=
𝑠/√𝑛

Small Sample Size or Unknown Variance is also known as t-test.

𝑥̅ −𝜇
Then the formula given above is t= where 𝑥̅ is sample mean, µ is population mean, s
𝑠/√𝑛
is the sample standard deviation and n is the number of observations collected.

This statistic is compared to student t-distribution with n – 1 degrees of freedom. If n ≥ 30

then by Central Limit Theorem we may instead compare it to the standard normal. We use t-test
of the number of samples (n) is less than 30 or if there is no population variance.

Testing Means II: Small Sample Size or Unknown Variance

t – test of Two Independent Means
̅𝑥̅̅1̅−𝑥
̅̅̅2̅
t= 1 1
𝑆𝑝√𝑛 +𝑛
1 2
 SHS009
Statistics and Probability
Hypothesis Testing (Part 2)

(𝑛1 −1)𝑠12 +(𝑛2 −1)𝑠22

𝑆𝑝 2 =
𝑛1 +𝑛2 −2

𝑥1 and ̅̅̅are
̅̅̅ 𝑥2 sample means while 𝑛1 and 𝑛2 are number of data observed. Sp is Spooled Variance
(𝑛1 −1)𝑠12 +(𝑛2 −1)𝑠22
is given by 𝑆𝑝 2 = where s12 and s22 are sample variance.
𝑛1 +𝑛2 −2
The degrees of freedom is 𝑛1 + 𝑛2 - 2.

Testing Means II: Small Sample Size or Unknown Variance

T table: