levo

Mathematical Requirements (Appendix C)

Probability, Sampling, Statistical Tests and Uncertainty: Using the Chi-squared Test

  • 3 things to know
  • All units

Overview

Recall questions on Using the Chi-squared Test and Student's t-test.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

Why must chi-squared be calculated from actual counts rather than from percentages?

Key term

What does a large value of t indicate about two sets of measurements?

Key term

When should the chi-squared test be selected?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    When should the chi-squared test be selected?

    Model answer

    When observed frequencies falling into discrete categories are being compared with the frequencies expected from a theoretical ratio.

  2. 2

    How is the chi-squared statistic calculated?

    Model answer

    For each category the observed frequency is subtracted from the expected frequency, the difference is squared and divided by the expected frequency, and these values are summed for all categories.

  3. 3

    How are the degrees of freedom found for a chi-squared test, and what value would a dihybrid cross give?

    Model answer

    The degrees of freedom are one fewer than the number of categories, so a dihybrid cross with four phenotypes has three degrees of freedom.

  4. 4

    A cross expected to give a 3:1 ratio produced 132 and 28 offspring out of 160. Calculate chi-squared.

    Model answer

    The expected numbers are 120 and 40, so chi-squared is (12² ÷ 120) + (12² ÷ 40) = 1.2 + 3.6 = 4.8.

  5. 5

    With one degree of freedom the critical value at p = 0.05 is 3.84. Interpret a calculated chi-squared value of 4.8.

    Model answer

    The calculated value is greater than the critical value, so the null hypothesis is rejected and the difference from the expected 3:1 ratio is significant.

  6. 6

    Why must chi-squared be calculated from actual counts rather than from percentages?

    Model answer

    The test depends on the size of the sample, and converting to percentages discards that information and would distort the calculated value.

Other ways to work this

The same content, four other ways.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

1Closed book
2Open book
3Closed book

See a huge jump in your memorisation

Answer cold, learn it, then prove it stuck. Levo tracks the jump between your first attempt and your last.

Chemical Elements Are Joined Together to Form Biological Compounds
Cell Structure and Organisation
Cell Membranes and Transport
Biological Reactions Are Regulated by Enzymes

Cram a whole paper in one sitting

Sort every topic into what you know and what you do not, then drill only the weak ones.

A zygote.
diploidhaploidtriploid

Blank Blitz consolidates the facts

Rapid timed gap-fills on the terms and numbers you need to recall without thinking.

AThe numbers span several orders of magnitude.
BA logarithmic scale fits them all on one axis.
CThe exponential phase then appears as a straight line.

Build It trains answer structure

Assemble a full-mark answer from its marking points, in the order an examiner wants them.

Mitosis is division of the nucleus.
TrueFalse

Test It catches misconceptions

Spot the fault in a statement. The traps are the mistakes students actually make.

721941163128510

Brain Breaks between sessions

Short focus games to reset attention, so the next set lands better than the last.

Every question in Mathematical Requirements (Appendix C), on a schedule.

Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.

Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.