When using Student's t to compute an interval estimate,________.
A)we assume that the samples are collected from populations that are uniformly distributed
B)we estimate the population mean based on the sample mean
C)we use the z-distribution
D)we assume that the samples are collected from normally distributed populations

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When using Student's t to compute an interval estimate, we assume that the samples are collected from normally distributed populations. The assumptions of normality and independence of sample observations are required for the validity of the t-test. Therefore, option D is the best choice. Option A is incorrect as uniform distribution is a different concept. Option B is partially correct as we do estimate the population mean based on the sample mean, but it is not the defining feature of using the t-distribution. Option C is incorrect as we use the t-distribution, not the z-distribution, because the population standard deviation is not known and must be estimated from the sample data.

When Using Student's T to Compute an Interval Estimate,________