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Section E
FYI if Interested
Example

Consider the following results from a study done on 29 women, all
35–39 years old
Sample Data
n
Mean SBP
SD of SBP
OC users
8
132.8
15.3
Non-OC users
21
127.4
18.2
3
Example

Suppose we want to design a study with 80% power to detect a
mean difference of at least 5.4 mmHg between the two groups
-  Will reject at α = .05 if
-
As such, you want
5.4mmHg
if µOC - µNO OC ≥
4
Example

Consider

Using the estimates from the small study for population SDs:

With nOC = nNO OC = n this becomes:
5
Example

Suppose we want to design a study with 80% power to detect a
mean difference of at least 5.4 mmHg between the two groups
-

i.e.,
if µOC - µNO OC ≥ 5.4mmHg
With some algebra:
if µOC - µNO OC ≥ 5.4mmHg

But if µOC - µNO OC ≥ 5.4mmHg, then assuming large n,
is a normally distributed process with mean µOC - µNO OC and
standard error
6
Example

Suppose we want to design a study with 80% power to detect a
mean difference of at least 5.4 mmHg between the two groups

So

Becomes:
if µOC - µNO OC ≥ 5.4mmHg
7
Example

Suppose we want to design a study with 80% power to detect a
mean difference of at least 5.4 mmHg between the two groups

But on a standard normal curve, the value that cuts off 80% of the
area to its right is 0.84.

So we need to solve:

Some more beautiful algebra:
8
Example

Suppose we want to design a study with 80% power to detect a
mean difference of at least 5.4 mmHg between the two groups

Some more beautiful algebra:

Squaring both sides:

Solving for n:
9
Example

Suppose we want to design a study with 80% power to detect a
mean difference of at least 5.4 mmHg between the two groups

Plugging on our info:
10
Example

It is also possible to design a study to estimate a quantity, such as a
mean difference or difference in proportions with a desired level of
precision

In other words, the necessary sample sizes can be estimated to try
to get a confidence interval of a desired maximum width
11
Example

Suppose we wanted to design a study with equal sample sizes to
estimate the mean difference within ± 3 mmHg
-  i.e., design the study to have a specific precision
-
Now using the estimates from the small study for population
SDs:
-
With nOC = nNO OC = n this becomes:
12
Example

We want

Plugging in pilot data:
Sample Data
n
Mean SBP
SD of SBP
OC users
8
132.8
15.3
Non-OC users
21
127.4
18.2
13
Example

Solving algebraically
14