Stat 3310 - Warm up Problems Part 2

January 19, 2010

1. As per the Wall Street Journal, a credit card company states that account
holders use their card an average of 8.4 times per month, with a standard
deviation of 2.6 times per month. We take a sample of 38 account holders
and find a sample mean of 9.7 times per month. Test the claim that the
mean number has increased from 8.4 times per month. Let α = .05. Don’t
forget your context statement!

1. H0 : µ ≤ 8.4 vs. H1 : µ > 8.4

2. Test statistic
9.7 − 8.4
Z∗ = 2.6 ,
√
38
1.3
= = 3.08
0.4218

3. We have > in H1 and α = .05. Hence we have:

0.5 − α = 0.5 − 0.05 = 0.4500,

Z = 1.64

If Z ∗ > 1.64, then we reject H0 .

4. Reject H0 . The mean has increased from 8.4.

2. In an older version of the Statistical Abstract of the United States, the

average age of men at the time of their first marriage is 24.8 years, with a
standard deviation of 3.2 years. A sociologist wishes to further analyze this
concept. She takes a sample of 44 men and find a sample mean of 23.5 years
at the time of their first marriage. Test the claim that the average is at least
24.8 years. Let α = .02. Don’t forget your context statement!

1. H0 : µ ≥ 24.8 vs. H1 : µ < 24.8

1
 2. Test statistic
23.5 − 24.8
Z∗ = 3.2 ,
√
44
−1.3
= = −2.69
0.4824

3. We have < in H1 and α = .02. So we do:

0.5 − α = 0.5 − 0.02 = 0.4800,

Z = 2.05 but we need the negative value

If Z ∗ < −2.05, then we reject H0 .

4. Reject H0 . The mean is less than 24.8.

3. A coffee manufacturer has decided to use the vacuum brick method in

place of cans for packaging its coffee. To test if its new packaging equipment
is filling appropriately, it samples 31 packages and finds a sample mean of
13.36 ounces. The standard deviation is known to be 0.22 ounce.
a. Find a 99% confidence interval for µ.

1−α = 0.99,
1−α 0.99
= = 0.4950
2 2
Z = 2.57,
σ
x̄ ± Z α2 √ ,
n
0.22
13.36 ± (2.57) √ ,
31
13.36 ± (2.57)(0.0395),
13.36 ± 0.10,
13.26 < µ < 13.46

2
b. Find a 97% confidence interval for µ.

1−α = 0.97,
1−α 0.97
= = 0.4850,
2 2
Z = 2.17,
0.22
13.36 ± (2.17) √ ,
31
13.36 ± (2.17)(0.0395),
13.36 ± 0.09,
13.27 < µ < 13.45

4. A report of a university states that the average length of tutoring sessions

in a lab was 38 minutes, with a standard deviation of 9.0 minutes. We take a
sample of 43 students and find a sample mean of 27.8 minutes. Test the claim
that the mean length of tutoring session has not changed from 38 minutes.
Let α = .02. Don’t forget your context statement!

1. H0 : µ = 38 vs. H1 : µ 6= 38
2. Test Statistic:
27.8 − 38
Z∗ = 9.0 ,
√
43
−10.2
= = −7.43
1.3725
3. We have 6= in H1 and α = .02. Then we have:
α 0.02
0.5 − = 0.5 − ,
2 2
= 0.5 − 0.01 = 0.4900,
Z = 2.33.
If Z ∗ > 2.33 or Z ∗ < −2.33, then we reject H0 .
4. We reject H0 . The mean has changed from 38.