The Null and

Alternative
Hypotheses on a
Population Proportion
Objective

At the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to

correctly formulate the null and alternative hypotheses
on a population proportion.
 Essential Questions

● How do you differentiate alternative hypothesis from null

hypothesis?

● Why is it important to identify the null and alternative

hypotheses in a research?

● How do you determine the tail test to be used given the

null and alternative hypotheses?
 Warm Up!

Before we start with our lesson, let us watch this video and
have a short recall on null and alternative hypotheses.

(Click the link to watch the video.)

365 Data Science. ”Hypothesis testing. Null vs alternative.”

YouTube video, 4:28. Posted 11 August 2017. Retrieved 24
October 2019 from http://bit.ly/2koS9QY
 Guide Questions

● What is a hypothesis?

● What are the two hypotheses discussed in the video?

● Which of the two hypotheses is the one to be tested?

 Learn about It!

Proportion
1 represents a part of a whole. It can be expressed as a fraction, decimal, or
percentage.

Example:

, 0.25, 15%
 Learn about It!

Population proportion ()
2 refers to a fractional part of a population possessing certain characteristics. It can
take on any value from 0 to 1.

Example:
If there are 20 female students in a class of 50 students, we
say that the proportion of female students in the class is
 Learn about It!

3 Null hypothesis
states that there is no significant difference between the specified populations or
that there is no difference from an existing standard value, that is, any observed
difference is only due to sampling or experimental error. It should contain a
statement of equality as indicated by the symbols , , or .

Example:
In a recent study, it is claimed that 15% of Filipino students
aged 17 to 20 are working students. To verify this claim, a
random sample of 100 Filipino students aged 17 to 20 was
surveyed and 18% responded that they are working students.
The null hypothesis is .
 Learn about It!

Alternative Hypothesis
4 states that the populations in question are related and influenced by some non-
random cause or that there is a difference from a previous or existing standard
value. It should contain a statement of inequality as indicated by the symbols , , or .

Example:

In the previous example, the alternative hypothesis is

.
 Learn about It!

Type of Tail Test to be Used

5 The alternative hypothesis indicates the type of tail test to be used.
• If the symbol > is present in the alternative hypothesis, use a right-tailed test.
• If the symbol < is present in the alternative hypothesis, use a left-tailed test.
• If the symbol ≠ is present in the alternative hypothesis, use a two-tailed test.

Example:

In the previous example, the hypotheses require a two-tailed

test since the symbol is present in the alternative hypothesis.
 Try It!

Example 1: In a panda sanctuary, a study of the weight of

baby pandas was made. It is said that 60% of baby pandas
weigh 100 g. To verify this claim, the caretaker selected 20
baby pandas, and 50% of them weighed 100 g. State the null
and alternative hypotheses.
 Try It!

Example 1: In a panda sanctuary, a study of the weight of

baby pandas was made. It is said that 60% of baby pandas
weigh 100 g. To verify this claim, the caretaker selected 20
baby pandas, and 50% of them weighed 100 g. State the null
and alternative hypotheses.

Solution:
Let be the proportion of baby pandas that weigh 100g.

According to the study, “60% of baby pandas weigh 100 g.”

Hence,
.
 Try It!

Solution:

We have the following hypotheses:

These hypotheses constitute a two-tailed test since the

symbol is present in the alternative hypothesis.
 Try It!

Example 2: A research states that at least 80% of the farmers

in one barangay do not have their own land. To verify this, a
random sample of 50 farmers was taken, and 85%
responded that they do not have their own land. State the
null and alternative hypotheses.
 Try It!

Example 2: A research states that at least 80% of the farmers

in one barangay do not have their own land. To verify this, a
random sample of 50 farmers was taken, and 85%
responded that they do not have their own land. State the
null and alternative hypotheses.

Solution:
Let be the proportion of farmers who do not have their own
land.

According to the research, “at least 80% of farmers do not

have their own land.” Hence, .
 Try It!

Solution:

We have the following hypotheses:

These hypotheses constitute a left-tailed test since the

symbol is present in the alternative hypothesis.
 Let’s Practice!

Individual Practice:

1. A recent study states that 76% of the vehicles stuck in

traffic are private vehicles. Paul, a traffic enforcer, wanted
to confirm if the claim was right. In his survey, he found
out that 85% of the vehicles stuck in traffic are private
vehicles. State the null and alternative hypothesis.
 Let’s Practice!

Individual Practice:

2. A research done by one college student claims that at

most 54% of college students study best while listening to
music. A freshman student wants to confirm the claim, so
he decided to do a survey on 150 students, and 77 out of
150 students said that they listen to music while studying.
State the null and alternative hypotheses.
 Let’s Practice!

Group Practice: Divide the class into groups of three.

One television report states that at most 90% of office

employees drink coffee before working. One researcher
wanted to confirm the claim by asking 360 office workers,
and 92% of them said that they drink coffee before they start
working. State the null and alternative hypotheses.
 Key Points

Proportion
1 represents a part of a whole. It can be expressed as a fraction, decimal, or
percentage.

Population proportion ()
2 refers to a fractional part of a population possessing certain characteristics. It can
take on any value from 0 to 1.

3 Null hypothesis
states that there is no significant difference between the specified populations or
that there is no difference from an existing standard value, that is, any observed
difference is only due to sampling or experimental error. It should contain a
statement of equality as indicated by the symbols , , or .
Key Points

Alternative Hypothesis
4 states that the populations in question are related and influenced by some non-
random cause or that there is a difference from a previous or existing standard
value. It should contain a statement of inequality as indicated by the symbols , , or .

Type of Tail Test to be Used

5 The alternative hypothesis indicates the type of tail test to be used.
• If the symbol > is present in the alternative hypothesis, use a right-tailed test.
• If the symbol < is present in the alternative hypothesis, use a left-tailed test.
• If the symbol ≠ is present in the alternative hypothesis, use a two-tailed test.
 Synthesis

● What are null and alternative hypotheses?

● Give one situation where you can possibly apply the

concept of making a null and alternative hypotheses in the
future?

● How is Central Limit Theorem related to proportion?