Chris Hegman Kathrine Johnson Statistics 254 - V 8 May 2013 Exercise vs.

GPA Introduction For my data analysis, I chose to answer the question of whether or not there is a relationship between exercise and a students accumulative GPA, among the population of BSU students. I decided to examine this question to test the belief that a healthy body supports a healthy mind. Methods In order to collect my data, I used a multi-stage sampling technique. I began my project by randomly selecting the sampling locations. To accomplish this, I assigned a number to each major building on the Boise State campus. I then used a random number generator to select three locations. The locations for my data collection were the engineering building, the library, and the education building. After the locations were selected, I randomly selected the times and dates that I would sample data. To accomplish this, I used a method similar to that used when selecting the locations. I first selected the day and then I selected a time for that day. I only assigned numbers to available times throughout the week. I used a random number generator, with a range from one to five, to select those who I would ask to participate in my study. I only collected data from five males and five females at each location. Each of these randomization techniques were implemented to reduce selection bias. The participants were each given a printed card that they were asked to fill out. The card included spaces for the students GPA, the number of hours spent per week exercising, and gender. After the student had finished filling out

their card, it was folded and placed within a bag. I tried to anonymously collect my data in order to reduce any selection bias. My total sample size was thirty. Results CrunchIt was used to produce the output below.
Table 1 Equation 1

N 30

Correlation Coefficient .0557

= .0184 + 3.3218

.0031

Figure 1. GPA vs. Hours of Exercise

Figure 2. Residual Plot

Hypothesis test = 0; 0 T-statistic .2951

Table 2

P-value .7701

Possible outliers (9, 2.38) (12, 3.95)

Figure 3. Histogram of Residuals

Conclusion The graphs of the data suggests that there is a linear relationship between the amount of hours that a student spends exercising per week and a students GPA. The correlation coefficient describes this relationship as both weak and positive. According to the coefficient of determination, less than one percent of the variation in GPAs is due to a variation in the amount of exercise that a student participates in per week. Both of these values suggest that there is not a definitive relationship between the two variables. Although my samples residuals do not appear to be normally distributed, we will assume that the populations residuals are normally distributed. According to the P-value, produced by Crunchit, my sample results are not significant, . Therefore, I will fail to reject the null hypothesis. This means that the slope

of my samples regression line is likely to occur when the population slope equals zero. A slope of zero suggests that there is no observable relationship between the two variables. Although my data included several possible outliers, their removal did not influence my final results.

Therefore, I chose to report my data in its entirety, without removing the outliers. In conclusion, all of my data supports the idea that there is not a direct relationship, within the population of Boise State students, between the amount of hours that a student spends exercising per week and a students GPA. Instead, it suggests that a students GPA is influenced by a number of unobservable factors.

Appendix A After removal of point (9, 2.38) Correlation Coefficient .1686 Slope .0184 P-Value
0.3819

Figure 1 Histogram of Residuals