AP Statistics Flashcards: Setting Up a Test for a Population Proportion
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 19 cards to help you master important concepts.
What must the null hypothesis specify for a one-sample z-test for a proportion?
The null hypothesis must specify a single value for the population proportion that is assumed to be true for the test.
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What must the null hypothesis specify for a one-sample z-test for a proportion?
The null hypothesis must specify a single value for the population proportion that is assumed to be true for the test.
Define 'Alternative Hypothesis' (Ha).
The alternative hypothesis is the claim about the population that we are trying to find evidence for in a significance test.
Define 'Null Hypothesis' (H0).
The null hypothesis is a statement of no effect or no difference, which is assumed to be true unless sufficient evidence is presented to reject it.
What are the two main conditions that must be verified to make valid inferences when testing a population proportion?
The two conditions to check are the independence of observations and that the sampling distribution is approximately normal.
What is the fundamental assumption made about the null hypothesis at the beginning of a significance test?
The null hypothesis is always assumed to be correct at the start of a test, and this assumption is only rejected if there is strong evidence against it.
How do the mathematical symbols used in null and alternative hypotheses differ?
The null hypothesis always contains a statement of equality (=, >=, <=), while the alternative hypothesis contains a strict inequality (<, >, !=).
What are the three possible forms for an alternative hypothesis (Ha) for a population proportion p?
The three possible forms are one-sided (p < p0 or p > p0) or two-sided (p != p0).
What is the standard form of the null hypothesis for a test of a population proportion?
The null hypothesis for a population proportion is stated as H0: p = p0, where p0 is the specified value for the population proportion.
Identify the testing method for a single categorical variable.
A one-sample z-test for a proportion is the appropriate testing method for a single categorical variable.
What is the role of the alternative hypothesis in a significance test?
The alternative hypothesis represents the claim or theory that is being tested for; it is the conclusion accepted if the null hypothesis is rejected.
What two tasks are required to set up a test for a population proportion?
You must identify the null and alternative hypotheses and identify an appropriate testing method, such as the one-sample z-test for a proportion.
Why is it important to verify conditions before making statistical inferences?
Verifying conditions ensures that the chosen statistical method is appropriate for the data, making the conclusions of the test valid.
What is a two-sided alternative hypothesis for a population proportion?
A two-sided alternative hypothesis states that the population proportion is not equal to the value specified in the null hypothesis (p != p0).
What is the appropriate statistical test for a claim about a single population proportion?
The appropriate testing method for a single categorical variable's population proportion is a one-sample z-test for a proportion.
A researcher wants to test if a coin is biased, so the proportion of heads is not 0.5. What is the alternative hypothesis?
The researcher should use a two-sided alternative hypothesis, which would be Ha: p != 0.50.
A factory manager wants to prove that a new process results in *fewer* than 10% of products being defective. State the null and alternative hypotheses.
The null hypothesis is H0: p = 0.10, and the one-sided alternative hypothesis is Ha: p < 0.10.
If a school claims that *more than* 90% of its students graduate, what is the alternative hypothesis for a test of this claim?
The alternative hypothesis is a one-sided test stating that the true proportion is greater than the claimed value, or Ha: p > 0.90.
When checking the 'Normal' condition for a proportion test, what value of 'p' should be used?
To check that the sampling distribution is approximately normal, you must use the proportion from the null hypothesis (p0), as you are performing the test assuming H0 is true.
What are the two types of one-sided alternative hypotheses for a population proportion?
A one-sided alternative hypothesis can either be p < p0 (left-tailed) or p > p0 (right-tailed).