Final answer:
A claim or hypothesis can be formulated that the proportion of international undergraduate students in STEM fields is different from the proportion of US undergraduates in STEM fields. To investigate this relationship, a chi-square test of independence could be applied.
Step-by-step explanation:
(a) Based on the information provided, a claim or hypothesis can be formulated that the proportion of international undergraduate students in STEM fields is different from the proportion of US undergraduates in STEM fields. This claim can be supported by comparing the given percentages: 50% of international undergraduates are in STEM fields, while only 20% of all US undergraduates are in STEM fields.
(b) To investigate the relationship between international students and STEM fields in the context of US undergraduates, a chi-square test of independence could be applied. This statistical test compares the observed frequencies in different categories (in this case, international students in STEM fields vs. US students in STEM fields) with the expected frequencies under the assumption of independence. If the test shows a significant difference, it would suggest a relationship between international students and STEM fields in the US.