Final answer:
The independent t-test is used to compare the means of two independent groups in a research scenario.
Step-by-step explanation:
The independent t-test is used in a research scenario when you want to compare the means of two independent groups. It is commonly used to determine if there is a significant difference between the means of a treatment group and a control group.
For example, if you want to investigate whether a new teaching method improves students' test scores, you could randomly assign half of the students to receive the new method (treatment group) and the other half to receive the traditional method (control group). You would then use the independent t-test to compare the average test scores of the two groups.
Other scenarios where the independent t-test can be used include comparing the performance of two different products, comparing the effectiveness of two different drugs, or comparing the average salaries of employees from two different companies.