Final answer:
The numerator of the Z test statistic measures the mathematical difference between the sample mean and the population mean.
Step-by-step explanation:
The numerator of the Z test statistic measures the mathematical difference between the sample mean (M) and the population mean (μ). This is the actual value that is computed when you perform a Z test to determine if there is a significant difference between the sample mean and the population mean, under the assumption that the null hypothesis is true.