Final answer:
To evaluate the association between body weight and heart weight in cats, we set up a null hypothesis stating no relationship between the two variables (slope equals zero) and an alternative hypothesis indicating a positive association (slope greater than zero). The presence of a positive point estimate for the slope suggests a positive association, which is tested for significance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hypothesis for evaluating whether body weight is positively associated with heart weight in cats involves setting up a null hypothesis and an alternative hypothesis. The null hypothesis (H0) typically states that there is no relationship between the two variables, which means the slope is equal to zero. The alternative hypothesis (Ha) states that there is apositive association, which means the slope is greater than zero.
So in this context:
H0: β = 0 (no association)
Ha: β > 0 (positive association)
If the point estimate for the slope is positive and if the test statistic is significant at the chosen significance level, we would reject the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative hypothesis, thus concluding that there is a positive association between body weight and heart weight in cats.