Z-Test For Mean
Z-Test For Mean
Finding the critical values depends on value of 𝛼 and which tailed test it is.
We are going to discuss again three types to find critical value.
Type I: Finding critical value for two tailed test.
Step 4 Make the decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
Check either the value calculated in step 3 lies in acceptance region (clean region)
or in the rejection region (shaded region).
a) If z lies in acceptance region then accept 𝐻0
b) If z lies in rejection region then reject 𝐻0
Example: (Right tailed test)
A researcher reports that the average salary of assistant professors is more than
$42,000. A sample of 30 assistant professors has a mean salary of $43,260. At
𝛼 = 0.05, test the claim that assistant professors earn more than $42,000 per year.
The standard deviation of the population is $5230.
Solution:
Step 1 State the hypotheses and identify the claim.
𝐻0 : 𝜇 = 42000
𝐻1 : 𝜇 > 42000 [Right tailed] (This is claim of researcher)
Step 2 Find the critical value(s).
Step 4 Make the decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
Since 1.32 lies in the acceptance region so accept 𝐻0 . Further claim is rejected.
Example: (Left tailed test)
A researcher claims that the average cost of men’s athletic shoes is less than $80.
He selects a random sample of 36 pairs of shoes from a catalog and finds the
following costs (in dollars).
𝑥̅ = 75 , 𝜎 = 19.2
Test the claim at 𝛼 = 0.10 level of significance.
Solution:
Step 1 State the hypotheses and identify the claim.
𝐻0 : 𝜇 = 80
𝐻1 : 𝜇 < 80 [Left tailed] (claim)
Step 2 Find the critical value(s).
Step 4 Make the decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
Since −1.56 lies in the rejection region so reject 𝐻0 . Further claim is accepted.
Example: (Two tailed test)
The Medical Rehabilitation Education Foundation reports that the average cost of
rehabilitation for stroke victims is $24,672. To see if the average cost of
rehabilitation is different at a particular hospital, a researcher selects a random
sample of 35 stroke victims at the hospital and finds that the average cost of their
rehabilitation is $25,226. The standard deviation of the population is $3251. At
𝛼 = 0.01, can it be concluded that the average cost of stroke rehabilitation at a
particular hospital is different from $24,672?
Solution:
Step 1 State the hypotheses and identify the claim.
𝐻0 : 𝜇 = 24672
𝐻1 : 𝜇 ≠ 24672 [Two tailed] (claim)
Step 2 Find the critical value(s).
Step 4 Make the decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
Since 1.01 lies in the acceptance region so accept 𝐻0 . Further claim is rejected.