In an ANOVA, when would the F-test statistic be zero?
A)When there is no difference in the variances
B)When the treatment means are the same
C)When the observations are normally distributed
D)The F-test statistic cannot ever be zero

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The F-test statistic compares the variation between groups (due to the treatment) to the variation within groups (random variation). If the treatment means are the same, then the variation between groups is no different than the random variation within groups, leading to an F-test statistic of zero. However, it should be noted that due to the nature of the calculation, the F-test statistic cannot actually be exactly zero, but can be very close to zero.

In an ANOVA, When Would the F-Test Statistic Be Zero