SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE & FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Faculty of Business and Economics

AG213: STATISTICS FOR AGRICULTURE

(F & P Modes)
FINAL EXAMINATION – SEMESTER 2, 2012

Time Allowed - 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading

100 marks (50% of final grade)

INSTRUCTIONS
 

1. Answer all questions.

2. Write your answers in the answer booklets provided.
3. You can use calculators (not cellular phones).
4. This exam is worth 50% of your overall course mark.

   

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1. Briefly explain or define, with examples where appropriate, the following statistical terms:

(a) Measure of central tendency

(b) Measure of dispersion
(c) Sample
(d) Treatment
(e) Blocking
(f) Replication
(g) Covariance
(h) Non-parametric
(i) Linear regression
(j) Regression coefficient
[10 marks]
2. Differentiate between the following statistical pairs:
(a) Qualitative Data and Quantitative Data
(b) Completely Randomised Design (CRD) and Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD)
(c) Regression Analysis and Descriptive Analysis
[6 marks]
3. Round off the following numbers to one decimal place:
(a) 3.677
(b) 211.955
(c) 86.0009
(d) 22.0599
[4 marks]

4. For each of the following, indicate whether the appropriate variable would be classified, or
measured. If you identify the variable as measured, indicate whether it would be discrete or
continuous.
(a) Amount of organic matter in soil.
(b) Tree species in a forest.
(c) Taste of five different varieties of mango.
(d) Age of chickens.
(e) Farmers’ preference of markets for their goods.
[5 marks]

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5. [TOTAL MARKS: 20]
Table 1 gives the yearling weights (around 12 months of age) of 45 Braford heifers (Braford is a breed
derived from crossing Brahman and Hereford cattle).

Table 1 : Yearling weights (kg) of Braford heifers in Samoa

Yearling No. of
Weights Braford Class Mark
(kg) Heifer (f) (x) x2 xf x2 f
90 – 100 2 95 9025 190 18050
100 – 110 4 105 11025 420 44100
110 – 120 1 115 13225 115 13225
120 – 130 8 125 15625 1000 125000
130 – 140 14 135 18225 1890 255150
140 – 150 7 145 21025 1015 147175
150 – 160 5 155 24025 775 120125
160 – 170 2 165 27225 330 54450
170 – 180 2 175 30625 350 61250
TOTAL 45 6085 838525
 
(a) Use an appropriate graph to display the frequency distribution of the yearling weights of the Braford
heifers.
[5 marks]

(b) Give estimates of the mean and the standard deviation of the yearling weights of the 45 Braford
heifers.
[6 marks]
(c) The z-value for the 95% Confidence interval is 1.96. Use this z-value to construct a 95% confidence
interval for the mean yearling weights of Braford heifers. Describe what the confidence interval
means.
[5 marks]
(d) Suppose the mean and the standard deviation of the yearling weights of the population of Braford
heifers are 135.2 kg and 18.9 kg respectively. Suppose also the distribution of the yearling weights
of Braford heifers exactly follows the normal distribution. If there are 5300 Braford heifers in
Samoa, how many are expected to have yearling weights:

(i) Between 97.4 kg and 154.1 kg?

(ii) Greater than 116.3 kg?
(iii) Less than 191.9 kg?
[4 marks]

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 6. [TOTAL MARKS: 16]
An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of micronutrients on the growth of mint. The
treatments consisted of three concentrations of micronutrients (low, medium, and high). Plants used
were chosen so that the experimental units are homogeneous. Each treatment was applied to 12 plants
and the locations of the plants were completely randomised on the greenhouse benches. Stem growth (in
cm) were recorded after one week (see Table 2).
Table 2 : Stem growth of mint plants after one week
Plant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Low 5.1 3.7 4.2 5.6 3.4 4.0 4.3 3.0 3.5 3.9 4.1 5.1
Medium 5.3 5.9 5.3 4.7 6.1 6.1 5.2 5.3 6.8 4.6 5.2 5.7
High 6.1 6.3 6.9 5.5 8.4 7.3 4.3 4.9 8.6 6.8 7.7 6.7

(a) What type of design was used in this study? Justify your choice.
[3 marks]
(b) Describe five components of experimental designs in light of this study (i.e. use features of the
experiment described here for illustrations)
[5 marks]
(c) An ANOVA was done (in Excel) on the data and the results are in Table 3.

Table 3 : Results of ANOVA

Anova: Single Factor

SUMMARY
Groups Count Sum Average Variance
Low 12 49.9 4.158333 0.593561
Medium 12 66.2 5.516667 0.396061
High 12 79.5 6.625 1.709318

ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups 36.63167 2 18.31583 20.35892 1.74E-06 3.284918
Within Groups 29.68833 33 0.899646
Total 66.32 35

(i) State the hypothesis tested here.

[2 marks]
(ii) Give the statistical conclusion you can draw from the ANOVA results.
[6 marks]

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7 [TOTAL MARKS: 12]
There are three lists below, list A, list B, and list C. Each item of list A is matched to an item of list B
and an item of list C. Match the three lists giving reasons for your choice.
Mark allocations: 2 marks @ correct matches = 6 marks
2 marks @ correct reasons = 6 marks
 
List A  List B  List C 
1. Positive  Graph 1 
MODEL 1
Correlation 
Coefficients:
0.9

Estimate ... Pr(>|t|)

0.8

Intercept -3.3210 ... 0.131

x -2.3355 ... 2.77e-05
0.7
y

 
0.6
0.5
0.4

4.994 4.996 4.998 5.000 5.002 5.004 5.006

2. Negative  Graph 2 
MODEL 2
Correlation 
25.03

Coefficients:
25.02

Estimate ... Pr(>|t|)

25.01

Intercept -12.507 ... 0.822

x 2.642 ... 0.812
25.00
y

24.99
24.98
24.97

4.994 4.996 4.998 5.000 5.002 5.004 5.006

3. Spurious  Graph 3 
MODEL 3
Correlation 
Coefficients:
-14.985

Estimate ... Pr(>|t|)

Intercept 3.3210 ... 0.131
-14.995

x 4.3355 ... 5.39e-09

y

-15.005
-15.015

4.994 4.996 4.998 5.000 5.002 5.004 5.006

   

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 8. [TOTAL MARKS: 12]
A linear regression model was formed to predict income for a farmer from the number of taros sold. The
variables of the model are:
x = number of taro
y = income (in ST$)

The model is: y = 3 .42 x − 17

(a) Give a logical explanation of the income of -$17 when there is no taro.
[3 marks]
(b) Use the model to predict incomes when the farmer sells 200 taros.
[2 marks]
(c) Use the model to calculate the number of taros the farmer needs to sell if he wants an income of
$1230.00.
[3 marks]
(d) Describe two of the required tests to confirm that this is the best model (Don’t do the tests).
[4 marks]
9. [TOTAL MARKS: 15]
A test was conducted to see if there is a relationship between the type and the size of farm. The data
used is recorded in Table 4.

Table 4 : Types and sizes of farms

Type of Farm Cattle Pig Chicken Goat Sheep

s
Size of Farm (number of animals) 104 41 62 11 23

(a) Give the hypotheses of the required test.

[2 marks]
(b) Calculate the expected value for each farm size.
[5 marks]
(c) Calculate the test statistics.
[4 marks]
(d) Draw a conclusion for your test (use α = 0.05).
[4 marks]

__________________________END OF PAPER_______________________________ 

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