Activity 3.

1 Null and Alternative Hypothesis Formulation

John Rome A. Belocora CPE12S1

1. About 10% of the human population is left-handed. Suppose a researcher at Penn State
speculates that students in the College of Arts and Architecture are more likely to be left-
handed than people found in the general population. We only have one sample since we will be
comparing a population proportion based on a sample value to a known population value.

Null Hypothesis: Students in the College of Arts and Architecture are no more likely to
be left-handed than people in the general population (population percent of left-handed
students in the College of Art and Architecture = 10% or p = .10).

Alternative Hypothesis: Students in the College of Arts and Architecture are more likely
to be left-handed than people in the general population (population percent of left-
handed students in the College of Arts and Architecture > 10% or p > .10). This is a one-
sided alternative hypothesis.

2. A generic brand of the anti-histamine Diphenhydramine markets a capsule with a 50 milligram

dose. The manufacturer is worried that the machine that fills the capsules has come out of
calibration and is no longer creating capsules with the appropriate dosage.

Null Hypothesis: On the average, the dosage sold under this brand is 50 mg
(population mean dosage = 50 mg).

Alternative Hypothesis: On the average, the dosage sold under this brand is not 50 mg
(population mean dosage ≠ 50 mg). This is a two-sided alternative hypothesis.

3. Many people are starting to prefer vegetarian meals on a regular basis. Specifically, a researcher
believes that females are more likely than males to eat vegetarian meals on a regular basis.
Does the data suggest that females are more likely than males to eat vegetarian meals on a
regular basis?

Null Hypothesis: There is no sex effect regarding those who eat vegetarian meals on a
regular basis (population percent of females who eat vegetarian meals on a regular
basis = population percent of males who eat vegetarian meals on a regular basis
or pfemales = pmales).

Alternative Hypothesis: Females are more likely than males to eat vegetarian meals on
a regular basis (population percent of females who eat vegetarian meals on a regular
 basis > population percent of males who eat vegetarian meals on a regular basis
or pfemales > pmales). This is a one-sided alternative hypothesis.

4. Obesity is a major health problem today. Research is starting to show that people may
be able to lose more weight on a low carbohydrate diet than on a low fat diet. Does the
data suggest that, on the average, people are able to lose more weight on a low
carbohydrate diet than on a low fat diet?

Null Hypothesis: There is no difference in the mean amount of weight loss when
comparing a low carbohydrate diet with a low fat diet (population mean weight loss on a
low carbohydrate diet = population mean weight loss on a low fat diet).

Alternative Hypothesis: The mean weight loss should be greater for those on a low
carbohydrate diet when compared with those on a low fat diet (population mean weight
loss on a low carbohydrate diet > population mean weight loss on a low fat diet). This is
a one-sided alternative hypothesis.

5. Do the odds of having a stroke increase if you inhale second hand smoke? A case-
control study of non-smoking stroke patients and controls of the same age and
occupation are asked if someone in their household smokes.

Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between whether or not a person has a stroke
and whether or not a person lives with a smoker (odds ratio between stroke and second-
hand smoke situation is = 1).

Alternative Hypothesis: There is a relationship between whether or not a person has a

stroke and whether or not a person lives with a smoker (odds ratio between stroke and
second-hand smoke situation is > 1). This is a one-tailed alternative.

6. A financial analyst believes there might be a positive association between the change in
a stock's price and the amount of the stock purchased by non-management employees
the previous day (stock trading by management being under "insider-trading" regulatory
restrictions).

Null Hypothesis: The correlation between the daily stock price change ($) and the daily
stock purchases by non-management employees ($) = 0.

Alternative Hypothesis: The correlation between the daily stock price change ($) and
the daily stock purchases by non-management employees ($) > 0. This is a one-sided
alternative hypothesis.
7. Is there a linear relationship between the amount of the bill ($) at a restaurant and the tip
($) that was left. Is the strength of this association different for family restaurants than for
fine dining restaurants?

Null Hypothesis: The correlation between the amount of the bill ($) at a restaurant and
the tip ($) that was left is the same at family restaurants as it is at fine dining restaurants.

Alternative Hypothesis: The correlation between the amount of the bill ($) at a
restaurant and the tip ($) that was left is the difference at family restaurants then it is at
fine dining restaurants. This is a two-sided alternative hypothesis.

8. A researcher is studying the effects of radical exercise program on knee surgery

patients. There is a good chance the therapy will improve recovery time, but there’s also
the possibility it will make it worse. Average recovery times for knee surgery patients is
8.2 weeks.

H0: μ = 8.2

H1: μ ≠ 8.2

9. A medical trial is conducted to test whether or not a new medicine reduces cholesterol
by 25%. State the null and alternative hypotheses.

H0 : The drug reduces cholesterol by 25%. p = 0.25

Ha : The drug does not reduce cholesterol by 25%. p ≠ 0.25

10. We want to test whether the mean height of eighth graders is 66 inches. State the null
and alternative hypotheses. Fill in the correct symbol (=, ≠, ≥, <, ≤, >) for the null and
alternative hypotheses.

H0 : μ = 66

Ha : μ ≠ 66

11. We want to test whether the mean GPA of students in American colleges is different
from 2.0 (out of 4.0). The null and alternative hypotheses are:

H0: μ = 2.0
 Ha: μ ≠ 2.0

12. We want to test if college students take less than five years to graduate from college, on
the average. The null and alternative hypotheses are

H0: μ ≥ 5

Ha: μ < 5

13. We want to test if it takes fewer than 45 minutes to teach a lesson plan. State the null
and alternative hypotheses. Fill in the correct symbol ( =, ≠, ≥, <, ≤, >) for the null and
alternative hypotheses.

H0: μ ≥ 45

Ha: μ < 45

14. In an issue of U.S. News and World Report, an article on school standards stated that
about half of all students in France, Germany, and Israel take advanced placement
exams and a third pass. The same article stated that 6.6% of U.S. students take
advanced placement exams and 4.4% pass. Test if the percentage of U.S. students who
take advanced placement exams is more than 6.6%. State the null and alternative
hypotheses.

H0: p ≤ 0.066

Ha: p > 0.066

15. On a state driver’s test, about 40% pass the test on the first try. We want to test if more
than 40% pass on the first try. Fill in the correct symbol (=, ≠, ≥, <, ≤, >) for the null and
alternative hypotheses.

H0: p = 0.40

Ha: p > 0.40

16. A ketchup company regularly receives large shipments of tomatoes. For each shipment
that is received, a supervisor takes a random sample of 500 tomatoes to see what
percent of the sample is bruised and performs a significance test. If the sample shows
 convincing evidence that more than 10%, percent of the entire shipment of tomatoes is
bruised, then they will request a new shipment of tomatoes.

H0: p = 0.1

Ha: p > 0.1

17. A restaurant owner installed a new automated drink machine. The machine is designed
to dispense 530mL , start text, space, m, L, end text of liquid on the medium size setting.
The owner suspects that the machine may be dispensing too much in medium drinks.
They decide to take a sample of 30 medium drinks to see if the average amount is
significantly greater than 530 mL530 mL530, start text, space, m, L, end text.

H0: μ = 530mL

Ha: μ > 530Ml

18. Lena is a college basketball player who has made 75%, percent of the free-throws she
has attempted in her career. She decided to practice a new technique for shooting her
free-throws. Lena was curious if this new technique produced significantly better or
worse results. She tried the new technique and made 70%, percent of 50 attempts.

H0: is equal to 70%

Ha: The proportion of attempts made using this new technique is not equal to 75%

19. A claim about the value of a parameter or population characteristic.

Population: μ = 85, σ = 8

H0 : Sample mean will not differ from M = 85

Ha: Sample mean will differ from M = 85

20. Problem statement: Does drinking coffee before an exam improve test scores?

Null Hypothesis: μ ≤ μ₀ (Drinking coffee before an exam does not improve test scores)

Alternative Hypothesis: μ > μ₀ (Drinking coffee before an exam improves test scores)
21. Problem statement: Does a new weight loss pill result in greater weight loss than a
placebo?

Null hypothesis: The weight loss pill does not result in greater weight loss than the
placebo.

Alternative hypothesis: The weight loss pill results in greater weight loss than the
placebo.

22. Problem statement: Is there a relationship between smoking and lung cancer?

Null hypothesis: There is no relationship between smoking and lung cancer.

Alternative hypothesis: There is a relationship between smoking and lung cancer.

23. Problem statement: Is there a significant difference in the mean salaries of male and
female employees in a particular industry?

Null hypothesis: There is no significant difference in the mean salaries of male and
female employees in the industry.

Alternative hypothesis: The mean salary of male employees is significantly different

from the mean salary of female employees in the industry.

24. Problem statement: Does a new marketing campaign result in increased sales for a
particular product?

Null hypothesis: The marketing campaign does not result in increased sales for the
product.

Alternative hypothesis: The marketing campaign results in increased sales for the
product.

25. Problem statement: Is there a difference in the mean response times of two different
customer service teams?
Null hypothesis: There is no difference in the mean response times of the two customer
service teams.
Alternative hypothesis: The mean response time of one customer service team is
significantly different from the mean response time of the other team.