Section 10.1, cont.

- Confidence Intervals for p1− p2

Conditions:
 Random: Data come from two independent random samples or from two groups in a randomized
experiment.
1 1
o 10%: When sampling without replacement, check that n1 ≤ N 1 and n2 ≤ N 2.
10 10
 Large Counts: The counts of “successes” and “failures” in each sample or group -- n1 ^p1, n1 (1− ^p 1),
n2 ^p2, and n2 (1− ^p 2) -- are all at least 10.

Standard Error of ^p1− ^p2

^p 1 ( 1− ^p 1) ^p 2 ( 1−^p 2 )
S E ^p − ^p =
1 2
√ n1
+
n2

Two-Sample z Interval for a Difference Between Two Proportions

When conditions are met, an approximate C% confidence interval for ^p1− ^p2 is

^p1 ( 1−^p 1 ) ^p2 ( 1−^p2 )

( ^p1− ^p2 ) ± z ¿
n1 √+
n2
Where z is the critical value for the standard Normal curve with C% of its area between –z* and z*.
*

Example, pg. 617 Teens and Adults on Social Networking Sites As part of the Pew Internet and American
Life Project, researchers conducted two surveys in 2012. The first survey asked a random sample of 799 U.S.
teens about their use of social media and the internet. A second survey posed similar questions to a random
sample of 2253 U.S. adults. In these two studies, 80% of teens and 69% of adults used social-networking sites.

(a) Calculate the standard error of the sampling distribution of the difference in the sample proportions
(teens – adults). What information does this value provide?

0.8 ( 0.2 ) 0.69 ( 0.31 )

^p1=0.80 ^p2=0.69 S E ^p − ^p =
1 2
√ 799
+
2253
≈ 0.0172

If we were to take many random samples of 799 teens and 2253 adults, the difference in the sample
proportions of teens and adults who use social-networking sites will typically be 0.0172 from the true
difference in proportions of all teens and adults who use social-networking sites.

(b) Construct and interpret a 95% confidence interval for the difference between the proportion of all U.S.
teens and adults who use social-networking sites.

State: We want to estimate the difference p1− p2 where p1 = the proportion of all U.S. teens who use
social networking sites and p2 = the proportion of all U.S. adults who use social networking at a 95%
confidence level.

Plan: Two-sample z interval for p1− p2

1. Random: The data come from independent random samples of 799 U.S. teens and 2253 U.S. adutls.
1
 10%: 799 ≤ (All U . S . teens)  There are more than 7990 U.S. teens
10
 1
22 53≤
( All U . S . adutls)  There are more than 22,530 U.S. adults.
10
2. Large Counts: n1 p1=799 ( 0.8 )=639.2, n1 ( 1− p1 ) =799 ( 0.2 )=159.8, n2 p2=2253 ( 0.69 )=1554.57 ,
and n2 ( 1− p2 ) =2253 ( 0.31 )=698.43 are all at least 10, so the sampling distribution of ^p1− ^p2 is
approximately Normal.

^p1 ( 1−^p 1 ) ^p2 ( 1−^p2 )

Do: ( ^p1− ^p2 ) ± z ¿
√ n1
+
n2
=( 0.80−0.69 ) ±1.96
√0.8 ( 0.2 ) 0.69 ( 0.31 )
799
+
2253

¿ 0.11 ± 19.6(0.0172)

¿ 0.11 ± 0.34

¿( 0.076,0.144)

**CALCULATOR: Use 2-PropZInt: Put in x1: 639 (From 799(0.8)), n1: 799, x2: 1555 (From
2253(0.69)), n2: 2253, and C-Level: 95  (0.07588, 0.14324)

Conclude: We are 95% confident that the interval from 0.076 to 0.144 captures the true difference in the
proportion of all U.S. teens and adults who use social-networking sites.