1.

RJC
The widths of a sample of eight beetles of the species ‘genus prometheus’, found
in Bishan Street 21, were measured and found to be
10, 15, 11, a, 13, 14, b, and 17 mm,
where a and b are both positive integers, and a > b. In addition, it is also known
that the unbiased estimates for population mean and variance of this sample are
54
given by x¯ = 13 and s2 = 7 respectively.
(i) Find the values of a and b. [4]

Previous extensive measurements of ‘genus prometheus’ beetles had shown the

width to be normally distributed with mean 11.5 mm.

(ii) Carry out an appropriate test at the 5% level to find out whether the
beetles from Bishan Street 21 have a different mean width from the main
population. [4]

(iii) Entomologists have now updated the population standard deviation of

widths of the ‘genus prometheus’ beetles to be 6 mm. A test is carried out
to find out if the beetles from Bishan Street 21 have a larger width than
beetles from the main population. Find the smallest level of significance
(to 4 d.p.) which would result in rejection of the null hypothesis. [4]
[a = 15; b = 9; p-value = 0.170; 0.2398]

2. IJC
(a) The mean height of a mustard plant was found to be 5.1 mm after 4 days of
growth. A random sample of 10 mustard plants had the following heights, in mm,
after 4 days of growth.
5.0, 4.5, 4.8, 5.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 4.9, 5.1, 5.0
Using a 6% significance level, test whether the mean height of these plants is
less than 5.1 mm. State any assumption made. [5]

Explain the meaning of “6% significance level” in the context of this question.[1]

(b) In general, the marks obtained by students in their Mathematics

examination may be assumed to be a random variable with mean 65 and
variance 32.
After the introduction of a new program of revision classes, it is found that there
are improvements to the marks of some of the students.

A random sample of the marks of 50 students is taken and the mean is found to
be 66.4. A test is conducted and it shows that there is insufficient evidence that
the new program of revision classes is effective. Find an inequality satisfied by
the significance level of the test. [3]
State, with a reason, whether it is necessary to assume that the Mathematics
examination marks follow a normal distribution. [1]

(c) A sample of n observations is taken from a population with mean 5. The

sample mean is found to be 5.1 and sample standard deviation 0.7. A 2-tailed
normal test (z – test) is conducted and the null hypothesis is rejected at the 5%
significance level. Find the least value of n. [4]
[p = 0.038; α % < 4.01%; 190]

3. HCI
Ben, a fruit seller, only sells mangoes from two orchards, A and B. In each
orchard the weights of the mangoes are normally distributed with a standard
deviation 39g in A and an unknown standard deviation in B. The mean weights
are 200g in A and 160g in B.
(a) One day, Andy, a business partner of Ben, brought in a large batch of
mangoes from orchard A. 10 mangoes were randomly selected from this
batch and the weights (in g) of the mangoes were as follows:
175 182 167 160 169 189 137 164 x 207

If a test at 2.5% significance level indicates there is a decrease in the mean

weight of the mangoes from orchard A, find the greatest value of x, correct to 1
decimal place. [4]

(b) On another day, Ben examined 20 mangoes from orchard B which have
mean weight 140g and a standard deviation 45g. He was worried that the
mean weight of mangoes in orchard B might have changed. Andy helped
him by carrying out a statistical test to find out the truth.

(i) State the null and alternative hypotheses in carrying out such a test. [1]

(ii) Andy has to reject the null hypothesis at k % level of significance.

Calculate the minimum value of k, denoted by k0, correct to 2 decimal
places, in order to arrive at this decision. [2]

(iii) If a mango from orchard B which weighs 140g is added to the sample of
20. Would this affect Andy’s conclusion for the test at k0 % level of
significance? [2]
[x = 208.2; k0 = 6.78; still reject H0 ]

4. NJC
Alvin and Becky are interested in X, the number of SMS’s a college student
sends in a day.
Alvin claims that this mean number is higher than 25.
Becky claims that this mean does not differ from 25.
Alvin conducted a sample on 50 students and obtained the following results
 Σ x = 1270 and Σ x2 = 32918

(i) Based on these results, test at 5% significance level Alvin’s claim. [4]

(ii) Based on the results in (i), state and explain if Becky’s claim is justified at
5% significance level. [2]
Becky also obtained her own data which is as shown below.
22 21 40 24 28 35 30 41 44 27

(iii) Test at 5% significance level Becky’s claim. Justify the test you used and
state any assumption(s) you need. [4]

(iv) Becky suggests combining both sets of data to obtain a sample of 60

students. Explain why this might not be advisable. [1]
[p-value = 0.220; do not reject H0; p-value = 0.0427; not advisable]

5. YJC
(a) In a particular workshop, it is claimed that the masses of components
produced have mean 6g and standard deviation 0.8g. If this claim is not rejected
at the 5% level of significance based on the mean mass obtained from a random
sample of 10 components, between what values must the mean mass of the 10
components in the sample lie?
State any assumptions necessary for validity. [4]

(b) The manufacturer of the workshop replaced the old machines with new
machines. The manufacturer claimed that the masses of the components
produced by the new machines are not less than 6g. Based on a sample of 10
components, Σ (x – 4) = 14 and Σ (x – 4)2 = 26.7 were obtained. Given that the
masses of the components follow a normal distribution, carry out a test at 5%
level of significance to determine whether the claim is justified. [4]
[5.50 < x¯ <6.50; p-value = 0.0307]