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When she was 9 years of age, a girl did a science fair experiment in which she tested professional touch therapists to see if they could sense her energy field. She flipped a coin to select either her right hand or her left hand, and then she asked the therapists to identify the selected hand by placing their hand just under her hand without seeing it and without touching it. Among 280 trials, the touch therapists were correct 123 times. Use a 0.10 significance level to test the claim that touch therapists use a method equivalent to random guesses. Do the results suggest that touch therapists are effective? Let p denote the population proportion of correct hand selections by touch therapists. Identify the null and alternative hypotheses to test the claim that touch therapists use a method equivalent to random guesses. \( H_{0} p=0.5 \) \( H_{1}: p \neq 0.5 \) (Type integers or decimals. Do not round.) Identify the test statistic. \( z=-2.03 \) (Round to two decimal places as needed.) Identify the P-value. P-value \( =\square \) (Round to three decimal places as needed.) (

Ask by Bartlett John. in the United States
Mar 21,2025

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**Hypotheses:** - \( H_0: p = 0.5 \) - \( H_1: p \neq 0.5 \) **Test Statistic:** \( z = -2.03 \) **P-value:** \( 0.042 \)

Solution

We are given that among \(280\) trials, the touch therapists correctly identified the selected hand \(123\) times. We denote by \( p \) the true proportion of correct identifications. **Step 1. Set up Hypotheses** The claim is that touch therapists’ performance is equivalent to random guessing. Since a random guess produces correct identification \(50\%\) of the time, the hypotheses are: \[ H_0: p = 0.5 \] \[ H_1: p \neq 0.5 \] **Step 2. Compute the Test Statistic** The test statistic for a proportion is given by \[ z = \frac{\hat{p} - p_0}{\sqrt{\frac{p_0(1-p_0)}{n}}} \] where - \(\hat{p}\) is the sample proportion, - \(p_0 = 0.5\) under the null hypothesis, - \(n = 280\). First, calculate the sample proportion: \[ \hat{p} = \frac{123}{280} \approx 0.4393 \] Now, compute the standard error: \[ \text{SE} = \sqrt{\frac{0.5(1-0.5)}{280}} = \sqrt{\frac{0.25}{280}} \approx \sqrt{0.000892857} \approx 0.0299 \] Then, the test statistic is: \[ z = \frac{0.4393 - 0.5}{0.0299} \approx \frac{-0.0607}{0.0299} \approx -2.03 \] **Step 3. Determine the P-value** Since this is a two-tailed test, the P-value is: \[ \text{P-value} = 2 \times P(Z < -2.03) \] Looking up \( Z = -2.03 \) in the standard normal table, we find: \[ P(Z < -2.03) \approx 0.0212 \] Thus, the P-value is: \[ \text{P-value} \approx 2 \times 0.0212 = 0.0424 \quad \text{(rounded to three decimals: } 0.042 \text{)} \] **Final Answers:** - Null hypothesis: \( H_0: p = 0.5 \) - Alternative hypothesis: \( H_1: p \neq 0.5 \) - Test statistic: \( z = -2.03 \) - P-value: \( 0.042 \)

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Beyond the Answer

To address the claim about the effectiveness of touch therapists, let’s explore some engaging insights! The concept of energy fields and their detection has its roots in various ancient cultures, which believed in the life force or "Qi" that flows through all living things. This historical perspective adds a layer of intrigue to modern experiments like the one performed by the girl. While mainstream science often questions these notions, explorations in the spiritual and metaphysical continue to captivate curious minds, bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary inquiry. In real-world settings, the scientific method is crucial for testing claims—especially those not easily quantifiable. Conducting experiments with defined hypotheses allows for structured analysis, helping to validate or refute ideas. Touch therapists often cite intuition as a key part of their practice, which can be subjective and thus challenging to measure. A rigorously designed experiment, such as this one, provides an excellent framework to investigate their effectiveness scientifically, promoting a better understanding of their role within complementary and alternative medicine.

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