Edexcel S3 2006 January — Question 5

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleS3 (Statistics 3)
Year2006
SessionJanuary
TopicLinear combinations of normal random variables
TypeTwo-sample t-test (unknown variances)

5. Upon entering a school, a random sample of eight girls and an independent random sample of eighty boys were given the same examination in mathematics. The girls and boys were then taught in separate classes. After one year, they were all given another common examination in mathematics. The means and standard deviations of the boys’ and the girls’ marks are shown in the table.
Examination marks
\multirow{2}{*}{}Upon entryAfter 1 year
MeanStandard deviationMeanStandard deviation
Boys5012596
Girls5312626
You may assume that the test results are normally distributed.
  1. Test, at the \(5 \%\) level of significance, whether or not the difference between the means of the boys’ and girls’ results was significant when they entered school.
  2. Test, at the \(5 \%\) level of significance, whether or not the mean mark of the boys is significantly less than the mean mark of the girls in the 'After 1 year' examination.
  3. Interpret the results found in part (a) and part (b).