STUDENT’S T - DISTRIBUTION

● The t distribution (aka, students’s t-distribution) is a probability

distribution that is used to estimate population parameters when
the sample size is small and/or when the population variance is
unknown.
● It was developed by William Sealy Gosset in 1908
● If ẋ and s are the mean and standard deviation, respectively, of a random
sample of size taken from a normally distributed population with a mean ,
can be standardized as

● The formula is used when n < 30 and the population standard deviation
is unknown.
● The t – distribution with n-1 degrees of freedom.
 PROPERTIES OF t- DISTRIBUTION

1. The t – distribution is symmetrical

about 0
2. The t –distribution is bell shaped like the normal
distribution but has heavier tails.

3. The mean, median and the mode of the t – distribution

are all equal to zero.
4. The variance is always greater than 1. It is equal to v / v-2 where v is
the number of degrees of freedom.

5. As the degrees of freedom increase, the t-distribution curve looks

more and more like the normal distribution.
6. The standard deviation of the t-distribution varies with the sample
size.

7. The total area under at t – distribution curve is 1 or 100%.

Important
formula:

P ( t > n) = value in the t -

table
P(t<n)=1–P(t>n)
Remember !
● A negative t-value has the same area as its
corresponding positive t – value. The
difference is direction of the area.

P (t < -n ) = P (t > n)
P (t > -n ) = 1 – P (t > n )
Example 1:
What is the area of the region to the right of
t =1.1 with df = 9?
Example 2:
What is the area of the region to the left of t = -
0879 with df = 10?
Example 3:
A sample of size 24 is taken from a normal
population to be used in a study. A t-test was
used and found out that the area to the right of
the t – value is 25%. What is the computed t-
value.
TEST YOURSELF!
Fill in the blank:

1. The student’s t-distribution is a probability distribution that is used to

estimate population parameters when the sample size is small and or
POPULATION
when VARIANCE
the __________________________ is unknown
2. The t – distribution was developedWILLIAM S. GOSSET
by __________________ in 1908.

BELL
3. Like the normal distribution, the t-distribution is _________ shaped ,
0
symmetrical 1
about ______and has the total area under it curve equal to
___________
4. The t-distribution has tails that are asymptoticHORIZONTAL
to the ______________
axis.
5. The mean, median and mode of t- distribution curve depends on the
ZERO
number of ______________.
6. The shape of the t – distribution curve depends on the number of
Degrees of Freedom
__________________.

lower
7. The t-distribution has thicker
______ peak and ______ tails than the normal curve.

8. As the degrees of freedom increases, the t-distribution tends to the

Normal distribution
_____________

9. The variance and the standard deviation of the t – distribution is always

Greater
__________ than 1.
v/v-2
10. To compute for the variance, use the formula ____________.
HYPOTHESIS TESTING:
NULL AND
ALTERNATIVE
HYPOTHESIS
 KEY CONCEPTS OF TESTING
HYPOTHESIS:
Hypothesis Testing:
● It is a decision – making process for evaluating claims about
a population.
● It is basically testing an assumption that we can make about
a population.
A hypothesis is an assumption or conjecture about a
population parameter which may or may not be true.
Examples:
1.Does the mean height of Grade 11 students differ from 66 inches?
2. Is the proportion of senior male students height significantly higher
than the senior female students?
 The Null and Alternative Hypothesis
NULL HYPOTHESIS
● It is denoted by H sub 0
● It is the initial claim
● It shows no significance difference, no changes, nothing happened, no relationship
between two parameters.
● The independent variable has no effect on the dependent variable.
● H sub 0: mean sub 1 = mean sub 2

ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS
● It is denoted by H sub a or H sub 1
● It is the contrary to the null hypothesis
● It shows that there is significance difference, an effect, change, relationship
between a parameter and specific value.
● The independent variable has an effect on the dependent variable.
Null Hypothesis,
= Equal to, the same as, not changed
from, is
Alternative Hypothesis
≠ Not equal, different from, changed from,
not the same as

> Greater than, above, higher than, longer

than, bigger than, increase, at least
Less than, below, lower than, smaller than,
< shorter than, decreased or reduced from, at
Example 1: The average age of bus
drivers in Metro Manila is 38.8 years.
: µ = 38.8 years

: µ ≠ 38.8 years

Example 2: The average number of

calories of a low calorie meal is at
most 300.
: µ = 300 calories
: µ < 300 calories
State the null and alternative hypotheses for
each statement.
3. The school record claims that the mean score in Math of
the incoming Grade 11 students is 8.1. The teacher wishes to
find out if the claim is true. She tests if there is significant
difference between the batch mean score and the mean
score of students in her class.
Null and Alternative Hypotheses in Null and Alternative Hypotheses in
words symbol

The mean score of the incoming Grade 11

students is 81 : µ = 81

The mean score of the incoming Grade 11

students is not 81 : µ ≠ 81
State the null and alternative hypotheses for
each statement.
4. A social worker wants to test (at a = 0.05) whether the
average body mass index (BMI) of the pupils under feeding
program is different from 8.2 kg.

Null and Alternative Hypotheses in Null and Alternative Hypotheses in

words symbol

: the average BMI of the pupils under the feeding

program is not different from 18.2 : µ = 18.2

: the average BMI of the pupils under the feeding

program is different from 18.2 : µ ≠ 18.2
State the null and alternative hypotheses for
each statement.
5. A DTI representative wants to test at 99% confidence level
whether the average content of Soda X is less than 330 ml as
indicated in the label.

Null and Alternative Hypotheses in Null and Alternative Hypotheses in

words symbol

: the average content of soda X is greater than or

equal to 330 ml. : µ ≥ 330

: the average content of soda X is less than 330

ml. : µ < 330
TEST YOUSELF!
1. In 2015, it was recorded that amount of 34% of the
population in 2015 were not married. A researcher surveyed a
random sample of 500 couples. He found out that 18% of
them were living together but unmarried. Test at 5%
significance level if the current percentage of unmarried
couples is different from 34%.
: The current percentage of unmarried couples is
34%

: The current percentage of unmarried couples is

different from 34%
TEST YOUSELF!
2. A chemist invented an additive to increase the lifespan of
rechargeable battery. The said additive will extend on
average the battery’s lifespan to 48 months.

: the average lifespan extension of rechargeable

battery is 48 months

: the average lifespan extension of rechargeable

battery is not 48 months.
 HYPOTHESIS
TESTING:
LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AND ONE-
TAILED AND TWO – TAILED TEST
 LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE
SIGNIFICANCE is defined as the quality of being statistically significant.
Level of Significance
● It is denoted by alpha a refers to the degree of significance in which
we accept or reject the null hypothesis.
● 100% accuracy is not possible in accepting or rejecting a hypothesis.
● The significance level is also the probability of making the wrong
decision when the null hypothesis is true.
● In public health research alpha is usually 0.01 or 1% . In social
science, alpha is usually 0.05 or 5% and 0.10 or 10% in other studies.
● This implies that there is 1%, 5%, or 10% probability of rejecting a tree
null hypothesis.
In symbol, it is written as
a = 0.01
a = 0.05 or
a = 0.10

If the alternative hypothesis used ≠, then alpha

will be divided by 2.

a/2 = 0.005
a/2 = 0.025 or
a/2 = 0.05
1. Maria uses 5% level of significance in proving that there is no
significant change in the average number of enrollees in the 10
sections for the last two years. It means that the chance that
the null hypothesis (Ho) would be rejected when it is true is 5%.

In symbol, it is written as
a = 0.01
a = 0.05 or
a = 0.10

If the alternative hypothesis used

≠, then alpha will be divided by 2.

a/2 = 0.005
a/2 = 0.025 or
a/2 = 0.05
 Determine the value of a or a/2 based on the alternative
hypothesis in decimal form.
2. In 2015, it was recorded that amount of 34% of the
population in 2015 were not married. A researcher surveyed
a random sample of 500 couples. He found out that 18% of
them were living together but unmarried. Test at 5%
significance level if the current percentage of unmarried
couples
In symbol, is different
it is written as from 34%.
a = 0.01
a = 0.05 or
a = 0.10

If the alternative hypothesis used

≠, then alpha will be divided by 2.

a/2 = 0.005
a/2 = 0.025 or
a/2 = 0.05
Determine the value of a or a/2 based on the alternative
hypothesis in decimal form.
3. An average construction worker hourly rate pay in the Philippines is
Php 62.50 with a standard deviation of Php 6.01. A random sample
of 20 manufacturing workers were asked on their hourly rate and
found out that they had an average of Php 50 hourly rate pay with a
SD of Php 5.00. Construct a 90% confidence interval that the
average hourly rate for construction workers is higher than the
average hourly rate manufacturing workers.
In symbol, it is written as
a = 0.01
a = 0.05 or
a = 0.10
If the alternative hypothesis used ≠, then alpha
will be divided by 2.
a/2 = 0.005
a/2 = 0.025 or
a/2 = 0.05
Determine the value of a or a/2 based on the alternative
hypothesis in decimal form.

4. A chemist invented an additive to increase the lifespan of

rechargeable battery. The said additive will extend on average the
battery’s lifespan to 48 months.

In symbol, it is written as
a = 0.01
a = 0.05 or
a = 0.10
If the alternative hypothesis used ≠, then alpha
will be divided by 2.
a/2 = 0.005
a/2 = 0.025 or
a/2 = 0.05
 TWO TAILED TEST VS ONE TAILED TEST
When alternative hypothesis is two-sided like Ha: µ ≠ µ 0, it is called two
tailed test.
When the given statistics hypothesis assumes a less than or greater than
value, it is called one – tailed test.

≠ Not equal, different from, changed from, not the

same as
Greater than, above, higher than, longer than,
> bigger than, increase, at least
Less than, below, lower than, smaller than, shorter
< than, decreased or reduced from, at most

= Equal to, the same as, not changed from, is

Example 1: The school registrar believes that the average
number of enrollees thi school year is not the same as the
previous school year.
Let µ 0 be the average number of enrollees last year.
Ho: µ = µ 0
Ha: µ ≠ µ 0
If Ha uses ≠, use a two tailed test

However, if the school registrar believes that the average number of enrollees this
school year is less than the previous year, then you will have:
Ho: µ = µ 0
Ha: µ < µ 0
Use the left-tailed when Ha contains the symbol < .

On the other hand, if the school registrar believes that the average number of
enrollees this school year is greater than the previous year, then you will have:
Ho: µ = µ 0
Use the right-tailed when Ha contains the symbol >.
Determine if one-tailed or two-tailed test fits the given
alternative hypothesis.
One-tailed test
1. The mean height of grade 12 students is less than 66 inches.

2. The standard deviation of their height is not equal to 5 inches.

two-tailed test

3. Male grade 7 and grade 12 students differ in height on average.

two-tailed test

4. The proportion of senior male students’ height is significantly higher than that of
senior female students.
One-tailed test

5. The average of grade 11 students in Statistics is lower than their average grade
in Calculus.
One-tailed test