When conducting hypothesis tests for two sample means, the term μ 1- μ 2in the numerator of the formula reduces to zero because________.
A) the standard deviations are calculated first.
B) the tests are conducted at very low alpha levels.
C) the samples are independent as well as random.
D) the null hypothesis is assumed to be true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The numerator of the formula (μ 1- μ 2) represents the difference between the population means of the two groups being compared. In hypothesis testing, the null hypothesis assumes that there is no significant difference between the two population means. Therefore, when conducting hypothesis tests for two sample means, the null hypothesis is assumed to be true, which means that there is no significant difference between the population means. As a result, the difference between the two population means in the numerator of the formula reduces to zero, so D is the correct answer.

When Conducting Hypothesis Tests for Two Sample Means, the Term