Question

A medical researcher wants to measure the effects of a new drug on cholesterol levels using a hypothesis test. The target is a 30-point decrease in cholesterol levels after a treatment cycle. The researcher takes a random sample of patients and measures their cholesterol levels before and after a treatment cycle of the drug.

Which type of hypothesis test should they use?

a. Group of answer choices

b. test for one population proportion

c. test for one population mean

d. test for a difference in two population proportions

e. test for a difference in two population means

Answer 1

Answer: e. test for a difference in two population means

Explanation:

Since the researcher takes a random sample of patients and measures their cholesterol levels before and after a treatment cycle of the drug, then the two samples are matched pairs. The difference between both samples would be determined and the mean and standard deviation of this difference is calculated. This would be used to determine the test statistic.

Therefore, the type of hypothesis test that they should use is

e. test for a difference in two population means