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2.5 Statistical Hypothesis Testing

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Question 21

A software lead evaluates the efficiency of 7 different sorting algorithms (P,Q,R,S,T,U,VP, Q, R, S, T, U, VP,Q,R,S,T,U,V) based on their code elegance and then ranks them from most efficient to least efficient.

The lead's ranking, in decreasing order of efficiency, is: Q,P,R,T,S,V,UQ, P, R, T, S, V, UQ,P,R,T,S,V,U.

An automated benchmarking suite provides objective efficiency scores (out of 100, where 100 is maximum efficiency) for the 7 algorithms, shown in the table below:

AlgorithmPQRSTUV
Benchmark Score85928065624055
a.

Calculate Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rsr_srs​) between the software lead's ranking and the ranking derived from the benchmark scores. Use a rank of 1 for the most efficient algorithm. Show your working clearly.

[4]
b.

Using a 5% level of significance, test whether there is evidence of a positive correlation between the lead's qualitative ranking and the benchmark scores. State your hypotheses and the critical value.

[3]
c.

Explain why Spearman's rank correlation coefficient is more appropriate than the Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PMCC) in this specific task.

[2]
d.

The lead discovers that Algorithm S's benchmark score was recorded incorrectly. If Algorithm S's score were corrected to 80, explain what effect this would have on the rankings of the benchmark scores.

[2]
Markscheme

2.5 Statistical Hypothesis Testing Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Maths
  3. /2.5 Statistical Hypothesis Testing

355 exam-style questions on OCR (MEI) A Level Maths 2.5 Statistical Hypothesis Testing, covering 2.5.1 Process and language of hypothesis testing, 2.5.2 When to apply 1-tail and 2-tail tests, 2.5.3 Significance level and incorrect rejection, 2.5.4 Null and alternative hypotheses (binomial), 2.5.5 Conduct a binomial hypothesis test, 2.5.6 Critical and acceptance regions (binomial), 2.5.7 Distribution of the sample mean (A-level only), 2.5.8 Hypothesis test for a single mean (A-level only), 2.5.9 Critical and acceptance regions (mean) (A-level only), 2.5.10 Correlation as closeness to a straight line (A-level only), 2.5.11 Inference using a correlation coefficient (A-level only), and 2.5 Statistical Hypothesis Testing. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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