5.44 Teaching descriptive statistics: A study compared five different methods for teaching descriptive statistics. The five methods were traditional lecture and discussion, programmed textbook instruction, programmed text with lectures, computer instruction, and computer instruction with lectures. 45 students were randomly assigned, 9 to each method. After completing the course, students took a 1-hour exam. (a) What are the hypotheses for evaluating if the average test scores are different for the different teaching methods?

The null hypothesis is that all the different teaching methods have the same average test scores.

H0: μ1 = μ2 = μ3 = μ4 = μ5

The alternative hypothesis is that at least one of the teaching methods have a different mean.

Ha: at least one mean is different. (μ1 ≠ μi)

Step-by-step explanation:

The null hypothesis (H0) tries to show that no significant variation exists between variables or that a single variable is no different than its mean. While an alternative Hypothesis (Ha) attempt to prove that a new theory is true rather than the old one. That a variable is significantly different from the mean.

For the case above, let μ represent the average test scores for the teaching methods:

The null hypothesis is that all the different teaching methods have the same average test scores.

H0: μ1 = μ2 = μ3 = μ4 = μ5

The alternative hypothesis is that at least one of the teaching methods have a different mean.

Ha: at least one mean is different. (μ1 ≠ μi)