Final answer:
The test statistic for a hypothesis test represents the difference between the sample mean and the population mean according to the null hypothesis, divided by the standard error.
Step-by-step explanation:
The test statistic for a hypothesis test represents the difference between the sample mean and the population mean according to the null hypothesis, divided by the standard error. This test statistic is used to determine the likelihood of observing the sample mean under the null hypothesis. It helps to assess whether the difference between the sample mean and the population mean is statistically significant or simply due to chance.