Step by step
The question
Question: a sample of 25 has mean 43 and SD 5: at the 5% level, is the true mean different from 40?
We only know s, the SD of the sample.
So we use t, not z.
1 Write the hypotheses
H₀ is the "nothing new" idea: it has the equal sign.
Here: the mean is 40.
Hₐ is what we want to show.
Here: the mean is different from 40.
Different from means too big or too small: both ends of the bell count.
Two tails.
2 The test number
First the SD of the sample means: s over the square root of n.
The square root of 25 is 5.
5/5 is 1.
t is the sample mean minus 40, over 1.
43 minus 40 is 3.
Divided by 1: 3.
3 The cut-off
The t-table needs df: n minus 1, 24.
Careful!
df is 25 minus 1: 24.
Two tails: 0.05 is split, 0.025 in each end.
Row 24, column 0.025.
Row 24, column .025: t* = 2.064.
The t curve, with the cut-offs and our t.
Past the cut-offs is the reject part: the rare samples.
4 Decide
Our t, 3, is past the cut-off: in the reject part.
So we reject H zero.
5 Say it in words
In words: at the 5% level, there is enough evidence that the mean is different from 40.
6 Check
Let's check with the sample mean itself.
The cut-off for it is 40 plus or minus 2.064 times 1: 37.936 and 42.064.
The sample mean, 43, is past it.
The same decision.
So it is right!
Let's look back.
First: write the hypotheses.
Then: the test number.
Then: the cut-off.
Then: decide.
Then: say it in words.
Last: check.