ChBE 312, HW 6

Due: Monday, 2-March 2015

Problem 1 (10 points)

Write a formal synopsis of your term project data set. Be sure to include the size and description of your data
as well as the source and context. Please describe some of the questions you plan to address in your term
project along with a tentative title for your project.
Analyze your data. Write and submit a Matlab script that implements the following:
(A)
(B)

(C)

Clear all variables. Load your data.

Use the ttest function to test a null hypothesis. Be sure to define your H0 and describe the implications
of your results. What is the resulting p-value and confidence interval? What does this mean in context
of your data?
Use the vartest function to test a null hypothesis. Be sure to define your H0 and describe the
implications of your results. What is the resulting p-value and confidence interval? What does this mean
in context of your data?

Finally, please identify 2 possible new statistical tests or methods that you would consider introducing in your
term project. The method can be a new metric of assessing null hypotheses, or it can be new method of data
analysis/modeling.

Problem 2 (12 points)

A scientist measures the diameter of bubbles formed by two different soaps in mm. S/he records the following
values.
Soap 1 = {10, 15, 15, 14, 20}
Soap 2 = {12, 15, 18, 18, 25}
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Calculate the mean and standard deviation of bubbles for each condition.
Assuming a normal distribution, calculate (by hand) the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the mean
in each experiment. What statistical test did you use and why? Do the confidence intervals overlap?
If the scientist had over 100 samples for each condition, which test might be more appropriate and
why?
According to the international standards on soap bubbles, the known variance for bubble diameter is
1mm. Given this statistic and assuming a normal distribution, what is the two-sided 90% confidence
interval for the mean bubble size in each condition? Do the confidence intervals overlap? Which test did
you use and why?

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ChBE 312, HW 6

Due: Monday, 2-March 2015

Problem 3 (9 points)
You measure the temperature in your apartment five days in a row and get the following measurements: 22.1,
19.9, 23.0, 22.0, and 18.1 degrees Celsius. A new thermostat is installed in your office and you repeat the
experiment acquiring the following measurements: 22.0, 21.9, 22.2, 22.5, and 22.1 degrees Celsius.
(A)
(B)
(C)

Assuming the temperature follows a normal distribution, calculate (by hand) the sample variance for the
temperatures using each thermostat. Calculate (by hand) the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the
variances. Do the intervals overlap?
Can you determine which thermostat is more consistent?
Which test did you use and why?

Problem 4 (12 points)

Qualitatively describe, in words, the following linear algebra properties. Please limit your response to 2-3
sentences.
(A) What is an eigenvalue?
(B) What is an eigenvector?
(C) What is an identity matrix?
(D) What does it mean for a matrix to be square?
(E) What does it mean for a matrix to be symmetric?
(F) What does it mean for a matrix to be full rank?

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