How to Work Out T Test Value

A T test is used in statistics for population samples that follow a Student’s t distribution. This type of distribution occurs when the population is expected to follow a normal (bell-shaped) distribution, but the sample size is small. (This distribution was devised by William Sealy Gosset who had to publish under the pen name \"Student.\" His employer--Guinness Brewery--considered the fact that it was using statistics in its business to be a trade secret at the time.)

You will need to calculate several other statistical values before you can calculate a T test value.

Things You'll Need

  • Calculator with statistical functions
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Instructions

    • 1

      Calculate the mean of the population sample. This will be the sum of scores in the population sample divided by the number of members in the sample. This may be represented mathematically as ? = ? xi/n, where \"?\" is the sample mean, \"xi\" is the score for the \"ith\" member of the sample and \"n\" is the number of members in the sample.

    • 2

      Derive the mean of the entire population. This is similar to the sample mean and is given as X = ? xi/n, where \"X\" is the population mean, \"xi\" is the score for the \"ith\" member of the population and \"n\" is the number of members in the population.

    • 3

      Determine the sample’s standard deviation. T test values are measured in units of standard deviation which you can calculate as s = ( ? ( xi - ? )2 / ( n - 1 ) ) ^(1/2). \"S\" is the sample’s standard deviation, \"xi\" is the score for the \"ith\" member of the sample, \"?\" is the mean of the population sample and \"n\" is the number of members in the sample.

    • 4

      Calculate the T test value as T = ( x - X ) / ( s / n^2). \"T\" is the T test value, \"x\" is the sample mean, \"X\" is the population mean, \"s\" is the sample's standard deviation and \"n\" is the number of members in the sample.

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