Final answer:
Based on the hypothesis testing procedure in statistics, the correct alternative hypothesis for the statement that Dutch people do not differ from English people in height would be 'Dutch people differ in height from English people', as it directly contradicts the null hypothesis without specifying the direction of the difference. Option d is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding the formulation of null and alternative hypotheses is crucial in hypothesis testing within the field of statistics. In the scenario provided, the null hypothesis (denoted as H0) is that Dutch people do not differ from English people in height. This means that the mean height of the two groups is assumed to be the same unless evidence suggests otherwise.
The alternative hypothesis (denoted as Ha) is a statement that directly contradicts the null hypothesis and is what you are attempting to find evidence for in your statistical test. In hypothesis testing, the alternative hypothesis can be one-sided (e.g., stating one group is greater than or less than the other) or two-sided.
In this case, the appropriate alternative hypothesis would be that Dutch people do differ in height from English people, which does not specify the direction of the difference. So, the correct alternative hypothesis is:
D. Dutch people differ in height from English people.
It is important to not preclude the possibility that Dutch people could be either taller or shorter than English people; the alternative hypothesis simply addresses that there is a difference, without specifying the direction of the difference. If later analysis or data suggests one group is indeed taller, that would be additional information supporting a more specific alternative hypothesis, either b. or c.