AP STATISTICS
REVIEW
INFERENCE
Statistical Inference

Drawing conclusions (“to infer”) about a
population based upon data from a sample.

Two types of inference:
1. Confidence intervals
2. Significance tests
USB Documents\AP STATISTICS\quick guide to
inference.pdf
Confidence Intervals
Confidence intervals estimate the true value
of the parameter where the parameter is the
true mean  , true proportion p, or true slope  .
estimate  (critical value)(sta ndard error of the estimate)
Confidence Intervals
1-sample t-interval for 
2-sample t-interval for 1  2
Matched-pairs t-interval
1-proportion z-interval for p
2-proportion z-interval
 for p1 - p2
t-interval for slope
Confidence Intervals
P
A
C
S
= Parameters
= Assumptions (conditions)
= Calculate interval
= State a conclusion
Interpret the confidence level:
C% of all intervals produced using this method
will capture the true mean (difference in means),
or proportion (difference in proportions), or
slope.
(Describe the parameter in context!)
Interpret the confidence interval:
I am C% confident that the true parameter
(insert context) is between ___ and ___ (insert
units), based on this sample.
(2000) Question 6
A random sample of 400 married couples was selected from a large
population of married couples.
•
Heights of married men are approximately normally distributed
with a mean 70 inches and standard deviation 3 inches.
•
Heights of married women are approximately normally distributed
with mean 65 inches and standard deviation 2.5 inches.
•
There were 20 couples in which the wife was taller than her
husband, and there were 380 couples in which the wife was
shorter than her husband.
(a) Find a 95 percent confidence interval for the proportion of married
couples in the population for which the wife is taller than her husband.
Interpret your interval in the context of this question.
Solution (2000 – Question 6, part a)
Parameter, Assumptions, Test Name (or formula):
p = true proportion of married couples in which the
wife is taller than her husband
Assumption: large sample size since
npˆ  20  10
1-proportion z-interval for p
n(1  pˆ )  380  10
Solution (2000 – Question 6, part a)
Calculations:
Solution (2000 – Question 6, part a)
Interpret the interval:
I am 95% confident that the true proportion of couples
in which the wife is taller than her husband is between
.028 and .071, based on this sample.
USB Documents\AP STATISTICS\AP Stats\correct &
incorrect ways to explain CI.doc
Significance Tests
H
A
T
S
= Hypothesis (define parameters!)
= Assumptions (conditions)
= Test name or formula
= State a conclusion
Significance Tests
Significance tests provide evidence for some
claim using sample data.
estimated value – hypothesized value
test statistic =
standard error of the estimate
Significance Tests
1-sample t-test for 
2-sample t-test for 1  2
Matched pairs t-test
1-proportion z-test for p
2-proportion z-test for p1 – p2
Chi-square goodness-of-fit test
Chi-square test for homogeneity or
independence/association
t-test for slope 
What is the P-value?
The P-value is the probability of getting an
observation as extreme or even more extreme by
chance alone, assuming that the null hypothesis is
true.
If the P-value is small (< alpha), then we reject Ho
and accept Ha. (Results are statistically significant)
If the P-value is large (> alpha), then we fail to reject
Ho and fail to accept Ha. (Results are not
statistically significant)
Know your inference procedures
Helpful web site:
http://www.ltcconline.net/greenl/java/Statistic
s/StatsMatch/StatsMatch.htm
(2000) Question 4
Solution (2000) Question 4
Solution (2000) Question 4
Solution (2000) Question 4
Solution (2000) Question 4
Solution (2000) Question 4
Solution (2000) Question 4
Scoring (2000) Question 4
Scoring (2000) Question 4
(2003) Question 5
Solution (2003) Question 5
Solution (2003) Question 5
Solution (2003) Question 5
Solution (2003) Question 5
Scoring (2003) Question 5
Type I, Type II Errors & Power

Type I Error ()
Ho is true, but we reject Ho (& support Ha)

Type II Error ()
Ho is false, but we fail to reject Ho (& fail to
support Ha)
Power (1- )
the probability of correctly rejecting Ho

Type I, Type II Errors & Power
How to increase power:

Increase alpha (level of significance)

Increase the sample size, n

Decrease variability

Increase the magnitude of the effect (the
difference in the hypothesized value of a
parameter & its true value
(2003) Question 2
Solution (2003) Question 2
Solution (2003) Question 2
Solution (2003) Question 2
Scoring (2003) Question 2
Scoring (2003) Question 2
Scoring (2003) Question 2
Scoring (2003) Question 2
Good Luck!