PROBLEM NO.

4: BOXPLOT AND PLAUSIBLE VALUES

4.1 Overview and Problem Statement

The degree of polymerization is the number of repeating units in a polymer molecule [18].
Figure 5 shows the degree of polymerization for insulating paper specimens [19].

418 421 421 422 425 427 431

434 437 439 446 447 448 453

454 463 465

Figure 5: Degree of polymerization data.

The problem-solving focus on the following:

(1) Constructing a boxplot, commenting on the nature of the data and the type of the
observed distribution.
(2) Calculating a two-sided 95% confidence interval for the true average degree of
polymerization. Identifying the 435 and 460 as plausible values for true average.

4.2 Method and Analysis

4.2.1 Constructing a boxplot of the data.

A quicker tool for constructing the boxplot is using an excel spreadsheet and applying the
“Box and Whisker” from the statistical chart feature [20]. Figure 6 presents the box plot
of the data summarized in Figure 5. The following are the box plot nature of the data:

 The lower whisker marks the location of the data set’s minimum value of 418.00.
 The bottom of the box marks the location of the value of the first quartile (Q1) or
25th percentile, which is 423.50.
 The line within the box refers to the median of the data set with a value of 437.00.
 The marked X symbol on the box plot represents the data set’s average with a
value of 438.29.
  The top of the box marks the location of the third quartile (Q3) or 75 percentile,
which is 450.50.
 The upper whisker signifies the maximum value in the data set, which is 465.00.

465.00

Upper whisker

450.50

438.29
437.00
Box

423.50
Lower whisker
418.00

Figure 6: Box plot of the data.

The following are the observations on the box plot’s type of distribution:

 The Interquartile Range (IQR) bounded the box on the plot from 423.50 to 450.50.
The value of IQR is 27 out of 47 (from the lower to the upper whisker). So, the
box spread to 57.45% of the whole data set.
 The distribution skewed downwards (towards the lower whisker) because the
location of the box’s median is lower than the data set’s average.
 It is normal population distribution.
 To check for outliers, calculate the values of
Q1 – 1.5(IQR) = 423.50 – 1.5(27) = 383
Q3 – 1.5(IQR) = 450.50 + 1.5(27) = 491
Since the maximum and minimum are 465 and 418, there are no outliers
in the data.
4.2.2 Two-sided 95% confidence interval and plausible value.

Since n is small, use the t-distribution for the confidence interval. Table 9 summarizes the
data and values for calculating the two-sided 95% confidence interval.

Table 9: Data for two-sided 95% confidence interval.

Data Values
Number of data, n 17
Average,  438.29
Standard deviation,  14.69
Confidence Interval 95%
Alpha,  5%
/2 2.5% = 0.025
df = (n – 1) 16
t-score using Appendix B 2.120

Equation (4.1) is the two-sided 95% confidence interval, CI.

𝐶𝐼 = [𝜇 ± 𝑡∝ ; 𝑑𝑓 × ] (4.1)
√

 represents the average value

t/2 represents the t-score value; see Appendix B
df represents the value of (n-1); see Appendix B
 represents the standard deviation
n represents the number of the data set

Plugging in the values from Table 9 to Equation (4.1).

438.29  7.55 = [430.74, 445.84]

The value of CI () = 430.74

The value of CI (+) = 445.84

This interval suggests that 435 is a plausible value for the average or mean polymerization
because it is inside the interval. On the other hand, the value of 460 is not plausible since
it lies outside the interval.
4.3 Results and Discussions

The constructed box plot for the degree of polymerization data resulted in significant
values. Table 10 summarizes Problem no. 4 results.

Table 10: Problem no. 4 summary of results

Problem
To analyze Results
No.

The minimum value of the data set 481.00

The first quartile (Q1) 423.50
Median of the data set 437.00
Average value 438.29
Third quartile (Q3) 450.50
4.2.1
The maximum value of the data set 465.00
Interquartile Range (IQR) 27
The skew of the distribution Downwards
Type of distribution Normal
Outliers in the data No

Number of data, n 17
The average value  438.29
Standard deviation,  14.69
Half of the alpha, /2 0.025
df = (n – 1) 16
4.2.2 t-score using Appendix B 2.120
t-score   /  n  7.55
The value of CI () 430.74
The value of CI (+) 445.84
Does 435 a plausible value for the true average? Yes
Does 460 a plausible value for the true average? No

The IQR bounded the box on the plot from 423.50 to 450.50, spreading to 57.45%. The
type of distribution is normal, and there are no outliers in the data. On the other hand, the
two-sided 95% confidence interval for the true average degree of polymerization has a
minimum CI of 430.74 and a maximum CI of 445.84. This interval suggests that 435 is a
plausible value for the average or mean polymerization because it is within the interval.
While the value of 460 is not plausible since it lies outside the interval.