Postlab 2.

The Scientific Method and Statistics

1. What are the 5 main steps of the scientific method?

1) Observation
2) Hypothesis
3) Data collection
4) Analyze data
5) Develop data into a law/theory

2. Give an example of a null hypothesis.

Dogs and Cats have the same brain.

3. What is a response variable? What is a predictor variable?

- A response variable is a dependent variable, which is a variable that

depends on another.

- A predictor variable is an independent variable and it is manipulated

rather than measured.

4. What is a control group? What is an experimental group?

- A control group is a group in an experiment that is kept constant.

- An experimental group is a group in an experiment that gets tested.

5. List two reasons that scientists use statistics.

1) To summarize data

2) To calculate probability and analyze different factors

6. Determine the mean, median, mode, and range for the following numbers:
15, 3, 8, 9, 3, 5, 7, 4, 1, 12.
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Mean: 6.7
Median: 6
Mode: 3
Range: 14

7. What is the difference between a p-value and tcalc?

The difference between an p value and a t calc is that a t value is a test statistic
that is used for statistical hypothesis testing, while a p value is the probability
of observing data.

8. Using a t-test, determine if these two groups are statistically different. Be

sure to show your t-test work (filled in equation) and report tcalc and estimated
p-value.
Given: You are trying to determine whether feeding on maple leaves speeds
up Monarch butterfly pupa development. Ten Monarch butterfly caterpillars
are fed maple leaves; they have an average pupa development time of 8.3
days, with a 0.6 standard deviation. A second set of ten Monarch butterfly
caterpillars are fed their normal vegetation; they have an average pupa
development time of 9.0 day, with a 0.9 standard deviation.
What are your results and conclusions?

8.3−9.0

T √ √ = 2.6
=
0.6
10
+
0.9
10

*It rejects the null hypothesis because feeding on

leaves actually speeds up the development of monarch
pupa.

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9. Using a t-test, determine if these two groups are statistically different. Be
sure to show your t-test work (filled in equation) and report tcalc and estimated
p-value.
Given: You are trying to determine if eating a candy bar before an exam will
improve a student’s exam score. Group A, which has 20 students, eats a candy
bar prior to the exam and scores an average of 89% on the exam with a 1.5%
standard deviation. Group B, which has 15 students, does not eat a candy bar
prior to the exam and scores an average of 80% on the exam with a 2.5%
standard deviation.
What are your results and conclusions?

89−80
T= 1. 52 2.52
20
+
15
= 9
0.73 = 12.3

 Based on the t test, it rejects the null

hypothesis. Eating candy bars will improve
the grades of those who eat it.

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10. Using a t-test, determine if these two groups are statistically different. Be
sure to show your t-test work (filled in equation) and report tcalc and estimated
p-value.
Given: You are trying to determine whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding is
the best method to speed up the growth of a human baby. You surveyed 15
women who breastfed their babies. Their babies gained 16 pounds (standard
deviation = 2) over a 3-week period. You surveyed 20 women with similar
age babies who bottle-fed their child. Their babies gained 12 pounds (standard
deviation = 2) over a 3-week period.
What are your results and conclusions?

16−12
4
T= 22 22
+
15 20
= 0.68 = 5.9

 It rejects the null because there

was more weight gain for breast
fed babies than bottle fed babies.