Final answer:
To perform an ANOVA and determine if there is a difference in the mean number of months before a raise among the four CPA firms, calculate the sum of squares, mean squares, and F-statistic, and compare it to the critical value of F.
Step-by-step explanation:
To test if there is a difference in the mean number of months before a raise was granted among the four CPA firms, we can conduct an analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the sample information provided. The null hypothesis (H0) is that there is no difference in the mean number of months, while the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is that there is a difference.
1. Calculate the sum of squares (SS) for the factor, error, and total.
2. Calculate the mean squares (MS) for the factor and error.
3. Calculate the F-statistic by dividing the MS factor by the MS error.
4. Determine the critical value of F for the appropriate significance level and degrees of freedom.
5. Reject H0 if the F-statistic is greater than the critical value of F.