Estimation of Parameter

Lesson 3: CONFIDENCE
INTERVALS FOR THE
POPULATION MEAN WHEN σ IS
UNKNOWN
Try this!
• A sample of 60 Grade 9 students’ age was
obtained to estimate the mean age of all Grade 9
students X  15.3 years and the population
variance is 16.
▫ What is the point estimate for μ?
▫ Find the 95% confidence interval for μ?
You are expected to:
• Identify the appropriate distribution when the
population σ is known;
• Understand the t – distribution;
• State the difference between a z – distribution and a
t-distribution; and
• Identify the confidence coefficients for computing
from the t – Table.
SITUATION:
• There are situations when sample values are not
large enough for the CLT to be applied.
▫ Can we still obtain an interval estimate of the
population mean?
▫ Are there assumptions to be met?
Assumptions in Computing for the
Population Mean When σ is Unknown
• When n  30, and σ is unknown, the sample standard
deviation s (sample sd) can be substituted for σ.
However, the following assumptions should be met.
▫ The sample is a random sample.
▫ Either n  30 or the population is normally distributed
when n  30
σ is not known…
• It must be estimated by s , the sample standard
deviation.
• The general expression for the confidence
interval when σ is unknown is given by:
 s 
X t 
 n  and the distribution of values is
called t – distribution.
Degree of Freedom (df)
• The concept of the degree of freedom is used in
the t – distribution.
• The number of values that are free to vary after a
sample statistics has been computed, and they
tell us the specific curve to use when a
distribution consists of a family of curves.
Degree of Freedom (df)
• For Example, if the mean of 5 values is 10, then
4 of the 5 values are free to vary.
• But once the 4 values are selected, the 5th value
must be a specific number to get a sum of 50,
since. Thus, if n = 5, df =n -1 = 4 (McCalve &
Sincich 2003)
Task:
• Learn how to use the t – Table in computing
interval estimate of μ.
• The formula for computing the confidence interval
using t-distribution is:

 s   s 
X t     X t 
 n  n
Confidence Coefficient:
• Find the confidence coefficient for each of the
following:
▫ n = 6, 90% confidence
▫ n = 7, 90% confidence
▫ n = 12, 95% confidence
▫ n = 17, 95% confidence
▫ n = 24, 99% confidence
• Find E given the following:
▫ n = 6, s = 2, 90% confidence
▫ n = 9, s = 2.8, 90% confidence