Mr Dough's factory produces packets of flour for sale in local supermarkets packed in 2 sizes – Regular-sized packets and Large-sized packets. Automated machines weigh and pack the flour. A recent major power outage resulted in all his machines being needed to be recalibrated upon restarting.
Regular-sized packets are supposed to have a mean mass of 1 kg. Mr Dough suspects that his machines now pack Regular-sized packets that are underweight. He took a sample of his Regular-sized packets and measured their masses, g (correct to nearest 5 g). The results are recorded as follows:
Mass, (g) No. of Regular-sized packets 980 5 985 6 990 7 995 7 1000 9 1005 6 1010 5 1015 3 1020 2
| Mass, (g) | No. of Regular-sized packets |
|---|---|
| 980 | 5 |
| 985 | 6 |
| 990 | 7 |
| 995 | 7 |
| 1000 | 9 |
| 1005 | 6 |
| 1010 | 5 |
| 1015 | 3 |
| 1020 | 2 |
- (a)
Determine the unbiased estimate of the population variance of the mass of Regular-sized packets.
- (b)
Explain whether Mr Dough should conduct a one-tail or a two-tail test.
- (c)
Carry out the test at 5% level of significance and give your conclusion in context. Explain whether it is necessary to assume that the mass of Regular-sized packets of flour follow a normal distribution.
- (d)
Large-sized packets of flour are known to have a normal distribution with a mean mass of 2 kg. Mr Dough also suspects that his machines are now not packing the Large-sized packets according to the required mass correctly. A sample of 15 Large-sized packets of flour gave a total mass of 30075 g.
Assuming Large-sized packets of flour have a population variance of , an appropriate test was carried out which gave a -value of 0.0529.
Showing all necessary workings, prove that correct to 3 significant figures.
- (e)
Another packet of Large-sized packet of flour with mass g is then added to the sample of 15. The combined sample of Large-sized packets resulted in a rejection of the claim that the mean mass of a Large-sized packet of flour is 2 kg at 4% level of significance.
Using , find the possible range of values of , giving your answer to the nearest gram.
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Worked solution
11(a)
1. Compute the unbiased estimate of the population variance from the frequency table
By entering the given mass and frequency data into a graphing calculator:
(Alternatively, using the formula with and , we get )
(or )
11(b)
1. State the test type with the reason based on the context
Mr Dough should conduct a one-tail test because he specifically suspects that the packets are underweight, meaning he is testing if the population mean mass is less than 1 kg (i.e., testing for a directional decrease in mean mass).
Mr Dough should conduct a one-tail test because he suspects the packets are underweight (testing if the mean mass is less than 1 kg).
11(c)
1. Set up the null and alternative hypotheses.
Let be the population mean mass of Regular-sized packets in grams.
Level of significance
2. Use the sample statistics from earlier to compute the test statistic and $p$-value.
From part (a), the sample size , sample mean , and the unbiased estimate of population variance .
Since is large, the test statistic is:
Using a graphing calculator's Z-Test:
3. Compare the $p$-value to the significance level and state the conclusion in context.
Since the , we reject .
There is sufficient evidence at the 5% level of significance to conclude that the mean mass of the Regular-sized packets of flour is less than 1000 g (i.e. they are underweight).
4. Explain whether the assumption of a normal population is required.
It is not necessary to assume that the mass of Regular-sized packets follows a normal distribution.
Since the sample size is large (), by the Central Limit Theorem, the sample mean is approximately normally distributed regardless of the underlying population's distribution.
Hypotheses:
Test Results:
Conclusion:
Reject . There is sufficient evidence at the 5% level of significance that the mean mass of Regular-sized packets is less than 1 kg.
Assumption:
It is not necessary to assume a normal distribution. Since the sample size is large, by the Central Limit Theorem, the sample mean is approximately normally distributed.
11(d)
1. Calculate the sample mean and define the null and alternative hypotheses.
Let be the population mean mass of Large-sized packets in grams.
The required mass is .
Sample mean,
(since he suspects the mass is not packed correctly)
2. Relate the $p$-value to the test statistic and set up the equation for a two-tailed test.
Since the population follows a normal distribution and the population variance is considered as a parameter, the test statistic is
Since it is a two-tailed test and , the -value is given by:
3. Solve for $\sigma$ using the inverse normal distribution.
Using a graphing calculator, the -value for an upper tail probability of is approximately .
(shown)
11(e)
1. Formulate the test statistic for the combined sample in terms of $h$.
The combined sample has size and total mass .
The new sample mean is .
Since we are testing the claim that the mean mass is 2 kg ( g) against the alternative that it is not (as established by the two-tailed context in the previous part), the hypotheses are and .
The test statistic is:
2. Determine the critical $z$-values and set up the inequalities for rejection of $H_0$.
At the level of significance for a two-tailed test, the critical region is split symmetrically, leaving in each tail.
Using the standard normal distribution, the critical -values are .
For to be rejected, the test statistic must fall in the critical region:
3. Solve the inequalities for $h$ and round the boundaries to the nearest gram.
Rounding the boundaries to the nearest gram, the possible range of values is:
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