Confidence Intervals for Mean with Small Samples: Interpretation and Construction
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Learn how to interpret and use the t-distribution, construct confidence intervals, and determine critical values for the mean when sample size is less than 30 and population is normally distributed with unknown standard deviation.
Confidence Intervals for Mean with Small Samples: Interpretation and Construction
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Section 6.2 Confidence Intervals for the Mean (Small Samples) Larson/Farber 4th ed
Section 6.2 Objectives • Interpret the t-distribution and use a t-distribution table • Construct confidence intervals when n < 30, the population is normally distributed, and σ is unknown Larson/Farber 4th ed
The t-Distribution • When the population standard deviation is unknown, the sample size is less than 30, and the random variable x is approximately normally distributed, it follows a t-distribution. • Critical values of t are denoted by tc. Larson/Farber 4th ed
Properties of the t-Distribution • The t-distribution is bell shaped and symmetric about the mean. • The t-distribution is a family of curves, each determined by a parameter called the degrees of freedom. The degrees of freedom are the number of free choices left after a sample statistic such as is calculated. When you use a t-distribution to estimate a population mean, the degrees of freedom are equal to one less than the sample size. • d.f. = n – 1 Degrees of freedom Larson/Farber 4th ed
d.f. = 2 d.f. = 5 Properties of the t-Distribution • The total area under a t-curve is 1 or 100%. • The mean, median, and mode of the t-distribution are equal to zero. • As the degrees of freedom increase, the t-distribution approaches the normal distribution. After 30 d.f., the t-distribution is very close to the standard normal z-distribution. The tails in the t-distribution are “thicker” than those in the standard normal distribution. t 0 Standard normal curve Larson/Farber 4th ed
Example: Critical Values of t Find the critical value tc for a 95% confidence when the sample size is 15. Solution: d.f. = n – 1 = 15 – 1 = 14 Table 5: t-Distribution tc = 2.145 Larson/Farber 4th ed
c = 0.95 t -tc = -2.145 tc = 2.145 Solution: Critical Values of t 95% of the area under the t-distribution curve with 14 degrees of freedom lies between t = +2.145. Larson/Farber 4th ed
Confidence Intervals for the Population Mean A c-confidence interval for the population mean μ • The probability that the confidence interval contains μis c. Larson/Farber 4th ed
Confidence Intervals and t-Distributions In Words In Symbols • Identify the sample statistics n, , and s. • Identify the degrees of freedom, the level of confidence c, and the critical value tc. • Find the margin of error E. d.f. = n – 1 Larson/Farber 4th ed
Confidence Intervals and t-Distributions In Words In Symbols Left endpoint: Right endpoint: Interval: Find the left and right endpoints and form the confidence interval. Larson/Farber 4th ed
Example: Constructing a Confidence Interval You randomly select 16 coffee shops and measure the temperature of the coffee sold at each. The sample mean temperature is 162.0ºF with a sample standard deviation of 10.0ºF. Find the 95% confidence interval for the mean temperature. Assume the temperatures are approximately normally distributed. Solution: Use the t-distribution (n < 30, σ is unknown, temperatures are approximately distributed.) Larson/Farber 4th ed
Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval • n =16, x = 162.0 s = 10.0 c = 0.95 • df = n – 1 = 16 – 1 = 15 • Critical Value Table 5: t-Distribution tc = 2.131 Larson/Farber 4th ed
Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval • Margin of error: • Confidence interval: Left Endpoint: Right Endpoint: 156.7 < μ < 167.3 Larson/Farber 4th ed
Solution: Constructing a Confidence Interval • 156.7 < μ < 167.3 Point estimate 156.7 162.0 167.3 • ( ) With 95% confidence, you can say that the mean temperature of coffee sold is between 156.7ºF and 167.3ºF. Larson/Farber 4th ed
Use the normal distribution with If is unknown, use s instead. Yes Yes No No Yes Use the normal distribution with No Use the t-distribution with and n – 1 degrees of freedom. Normal or t-Distribution? Is n 30? Is the population normally, or approximately normally, distributed? Cannot use the normal distribution or the t-distribution. Is known? Larson/Farber 4th ed
Example: Normal or t-Distribution? You randomly select 25 newly constructed houses. The sample mean construction cost is $181,000 and the population standard deviation is $28,000. Assuming construction costs are normally distributed, should you use the normal distribution, the t-distribution, or neither to construct a 95% confidence interval for the population mean construction cost? Solution: Use the normal distribution (the population is normally distributed and the population standard deviation is known) Larson/Farber 4th ed
Section 6.2 Summary • Interpreted the t-distribution and used a t-distribution table • Constructed confidence intervals when n < 30, the population is normally distributed, and σ is unknown Larson/Farber 4th ed