How Do AP Exam Scores Compare?

The AP Stats teacher from East Kentwood wondered if her students’ AP Exam scores from the
previous year were better than the scores from Rival High School to the north. She took a random
sample of 10 of her students from last year and found a mean AP score of 3.8.

1. Identify the population, parameter, sample, and statistic.

Population: all AP Stats students at EK Parameter: M true= mean AP score at EK

Sample: 10 AP Stats students selected Statistic: * =

38
.

2. The Rival High School had a mean of 3.11 last year. There are two possible explanations for why
the sample mean from East Kentwood is greater than 3.11.
Null
Ho: M 3 11 1.) Rivalhypothesis
=
.

High School claims: East Kentwood mean AP score is less than 3 11 .

Alternative hypothesis
Ha : M > 3 1) 2.) East Kentwood claims: East
.
Kentwood mean AP score is better than 3 . 11
> assume
- Ho is true
To test East Kentwood’s claim, we will assume #1, the true mean for East Kentwood is 3.11, and then
find the probability that a sample of 10 students would give an !̅ of 3.8 purely by chance.

3. Take a random sample of 10 students from a population that has a mean of 3.11 (see handout).
Repeat for a second sample.
Sample 1: !̅ = ___________ 33
1 , 5 , 5 4 , 3 4 2, 3 , 1 5
.

Sample 1: List AP scores here:_____________________________________

, , , ,

1, 4, 1 4 , 5 1 5 4 2 4
/
Sample 2: !̅ = ___________
.
3
Sample 2: List AP scores here:_____________________________________
, , , , , ,

4. Add your sample means to the dotplot on the board.

Sampling Distribution of
My -
Of
=
M =
0 03
.

Sample mean AP Score Ekresult

5. What does each dot represent?
random
one sample of 10 students and a mean calculated
from that sample
6. For a school with a mean AP score of 3.11, what is the probability that a sample of 10 students
gives an !̅ value of 3.8 or greater? (based on the dotplot)

5 = 0 032
.
p-value
7. Based on your answer to Question 6, does East Kentwood’s observed result (!̅ = 3.8) give convincing
evidence they have a mean AP Exam score greater than 3.11? Explain.
Yes, it would be highly unlikely for East Kentwood to get
an X of 3 8 if the true
. mean AP score was 3 11 . .
 Lesson 11.1 – Introduction to Significance Tests for a Mean
QuickNotes full conclusion for
LT#2 a significance test
LT#
Hypotheses Interpret p-value
M =
true mean (context)
Assuming Ho is true (M =
) there is
,
a p-value
Null hypothes is probability of getting an x of or more
extreme
Ho : M null value
=
purely by chance.
Conclusion
Alternative hypothesis p-values
a fail toreject Ho
Ha : M > null Because p-value < & we rejectHo and we
Ha :M >
values
null value sided
one
do
,

for Ha(context).
Or have
convincing evidence
OR Ha : Me null values two sided do not have

Check Your Understanding

The AP Stats teacher from East Kentwood wondered if her students’ AP Exam scores from the previous
year were better than the scores from Rival High School to the north (mean of 3.11). She took a random
sample of 10 of her students from last year and found a mean AP score of 3.8, with a standard
deviation of 0.84.

1. State appropriate hypotheses for performing a significance test. Be sure to define the parameter of
interest.
Ho : M = 3 11 . M = true mean Ap score for all East Kentwood
HaiM >3 .
Il students
2. Do the results provide some evidence for Ha? Explain.

Yes because = 3 8) 3 11
.
.

3. The teacher performed the significance test and obtained a p-value of 0.014. Interpret the p-value.

Assuming Ho is true (M =
3 .
11) there
,
is a 0 014.

probability
chance.
of getting an X of 38 .
or
greater purely by
4. At the # = 0.05 level, do the results provide convincing evidence that the mean AP score for East
Kentwood is greater than 3.11?
and have
Because 0 014
.
< 0 05 we
.
rejectHo we

AP for
convincing evidence that the
mean score

East Kentwood is greater than 3 11.

.