In: Statistics and Probability
Some studies suggest that women have their first baby at age 35 or older are at increased risk of having a baby with low birth weight. A researcher chose a random sample of 125 women age 35 or older who were pregnant with their first child and followed them through the pregnancy. The mean weight of the 125 newborns was 3111.4 grams with a standard deviation of 501.3 grams.
Is there evidence to suggest low birth weight for newborns who are the first child for women over the age of 35?
What type of error might have been made?
We are given the following values n=125(no.of women of age 35 or older), (sample mean weight of newborns), s=501.3(sample standard deviation of weight of newborns) and (low birth weight of newborns).
Null hypothesis
i.e., the mean weight of newborns who are the first child for women over the age of 35 is less than 2500 i.e., low birth weight
Alternate hypothesis
i.e., the mean weight of newborns who are the first chid for women over the age of 35 is greater than 2500 i.e., not low birth weight.
Test statistic under H0
Since we don't have the population standard deviation we use the sample standard deviation to test the hypothesis
Inference
If , we always reject the null hypothesis at any level of significance
i.e., there is no evidence to suggest low birth weight for newborns who are the first child for women over the age of 35.
This is a type II error i.e., the error of accepting the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is false.