APPLICATION OF STATISTICAL CONCEPTS IN

THE DETERMINATION OF WEIGHT VARIATIONS

IN SAMPLES
M.J. COCAMAS1 AND E.J. SEVILLA2
1

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY 1101, PHILIPPINES
DATE SUBMITTED: 26 AUGUST 2015
DATE PERFORMED: 12 AUGUST 2015
2

I.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1. Give the significance of Grubbs test.

The Grubbs test is used to detect a single outlier and used as a criterion to
determine whether the suspected outlier is to be retained or taken out. The
lowest or the highest observed value, or both, will be tested to determine if
there is an outlier or there are outliers present. These outliers may result
from human error, difference in composition of the material weighed or
measured, loss of calibration of measuring instrument, etc. [1]
2. Give the significance of the mean and the standard deviation
In experiments, errors are unavoidable and it would be best if a scientist runs
an experiment multiple times and average the results. The mean, or the
average, can be acknowledged as an accurate value to the true value,
although at times it may deviate if there is an outlier present. [2] While the
standard deviation can be defined as the positive square root of the variance,
that has the same unit of measurement as the observed values. The value of
the standard deviation reflects on how close or spread the values are from
the mean. If one data set has a smaller standard deviation compared to
another data set, it can be interpreted that the observed values are closer to
the mean. On the other hand, if a data set has a larger standard deviation
than the other data set, it can be interpreted that the observed values are
more distant from the mean. The value of standard deviation increases as the
observed values become more dispersed and varied. [3]
3. Give the significance of the confidence interval.
A confidence interval is a range of values, obtained from a sample statistic,
within which the value of an unknown population parameter is estimated to
lie, with an associated degree of confidence. For example in the calculated
confidence interval and confidence limits of data set 1, it can be interpreted
that: there is a 0.95 probability that 3.5772 < < 3.6202. It can also be

concluded that, the higher the value of the confidence level, the wider the
confidence interval, and the lower the value of the confidence level, the
narrower the confidence interval. [4]
4. How do the statistics calculated from data set 1 differ from those obtained
from data set 2?
Data set 1 has a lower standard deviation and range compared to data set 2,
which can be accounted for by the lower number of weights accounted for
unlike data set 2. The range of the confidence interval, the difference
between the upper and lower confidence limits, of data set 1 (0.043) is higher
than data set 2 (0.042). Data set 1 was not able to properly represent the
values of data set 2, and most likely the whole population, considering that it
is a subset of data set 2. Therefore, it can be concluded that the average
weight obtained from the 10 pieces of 25-centavo coin samples of data set 2
is more accurate and reliable than the average weight obtained from the six
samples of data set 1.
II.

DATA

TABLE I. Weight of all 25 centavo-coin samples used.

Sample No.

Weight, g

0.0002

3.6061

0.0002

3.5922

0.0002

3.6357

0.0002

3.5788

0.0002

3.5959

0.0002

3.5322

0.0002

3.6005

0.0002

3.6209

0.0002

10

3.6125

0.0002

DATA SET 1

3.5833

DATA SET 2

GRUBBS TEST
Data Set

Suspected Values

Gtab

Gexp

H: 3.6357

1.8024

1.8871

L: 3.5788

0.96941

1.8871

H: 3.6357

1.4174

2.2900

L: 3.5322

2.2592

2.2900

Conclusion
Retained or Accepted
95%
Retained or Accepted
95%
Retained or Accepted
95%
Retained or Accepted
95%

at
at
at
at

REPORTED VALUES
Data Set

RSD

RR

3.5987

0.02052
8

5.7043

0.0569

15.8

3.5958

0.02815
1

7.8286

0.1035

28.78

III.

3.5987 0.0215
= 3.57723.6202

3.5958 0.0201
= 3.5757
3.6159

CALCULATIONS

Data Set 1
3.6357
3.6061
3.5959
3.5922
3.5833
3.5788

CL

0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002

Data Set 2
3.6357
3.6209
3.6125
3.6061
3.6005
3.5959
3.5922
3.5833
3.5788
3.5322

0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002
0.0002

1. Divided samples into data sets

TABLE II. Weight of samples in the Data
Sets arranged from highest to lowest.

2. Grubbs Test

gcalc=

X-Xs
s

(1)

If gcalc > gtab, then reject Xs

If gcalc < gtab, then accept Xs
Data Set 1
Highest:

gcalc=

Lowest:

3.5987-3.6357
0.037
0.020528 = 0.020528

gcalc=

= 1.802416212 1.8024
gtab = 1.8871
1.8042 < 1.8871
Retain/Accept at 95% Confidence Level
Confidence Level
Data Set 2
Highest:

gcalc=

3.5987-3.5788
0.0199
0.020528 = 0.020528
= 0.969407638 0.96941
0.96941 < 1.8871
Retain/Accept at 95%

Lowest:

3.5958-3.6357
0.0399
0.028151 = 0.028151

gcalc=

3.5958-3.5322
0.0636
0.028151 = 0.028151

= 1.417356399 1.4174
2.259244787 2.2592
gtab= 2.2900
1.4174 < 2.2900
2.2592 < 2.2900
Retain/Accept at 95% Confidence Level
Retain/Accept at 95%
Confidence Level
3. Statistics
a. Mean
n

X
Data Set 1

X
i=1

(X1 +X 2 +X3 +...X n )

n
Data Set 2

(2)

(3.6357 3.6061 3.5959

3.5922 3.5833 3.5788)
6
=

(3.6357 3.6209 3.6125 3.6061 3.6005

3.5959 3.5922 3.5833 3.5788 3.5322)

10

= 3.598666667 3.5987
b.

= 3.59581 3.5958

Standard Deviation
n

(X -X)

s=

Sample
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Sample
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total

Xi

Xi - X

3.5833

-0.0154

3.6061

0.0074

3.5922

-0.0065

3.6357

0.037

3.5788

-0.0199

3.5959

-0.0028

Xi

Xi - X

3.5833
3.6061
3.5922
3.6357
3.5788
3.5959
3.5322
3.6005
3.6209
3.6125

-0.0125
0.0103
-0.0036
0.0399
-0.017
0.0001
-0.0636
0.0047
0.0251
0.0167

(Xi - X )2
0.000237
16
0.000054
76
0.000042
25
0.001369
0.000396
01
0.000007
84
0.002107
2
(Xi - X
02)

n-1

(3)

Data Set 1

s=

0.00210702
5
=

0.020528127
0.020528

Data Set 2

0.00015625
0.00010609
0.00001296
0.00159201
0.000289
0.00000001
0.00404496
0.00002209
0.00063001
0.00027889
0.00713227

Data Set 1

RSD=

i=1

s=

0.00713227
9
= 0.028150922
0.028151

c. Relative Standard Deviation

RSD=

s
1000ppt
X

Data Set 2

0.020528
1000ppt
3.5987

RSD=

= 5.7042822102 5.7043ppt
7.8286ppt

0.028151
1000ppt
3.5958
= 7.828577785

d. Range
R = Xhighest Xlowest
Data Set 1
XHighest = 3.6357
XLowest = 3.5788

(5)
Data Set 2
XHighest = 3.6357
XLowest = 3.5322

(4)

R = 3.6357 3.5788 = 0.0569

0.1035

R = 3.6357 3.5322 =

e. Relative Range

RR =

R
1000ppt
X

Data Set 1

RR =

(6)
Data Set 2

0.0569
1000ppt
3.5987

RR =

= 15.81126518 15.8ppt
28.78ppt
f.

0.1035
1000ppt
3.5958
= 28.78358084

Confidence Limits

ts
n

(7)

Data Set 1

Data Set 2

(2.57)(0.020528)
3.5987
6
3.5987

=
0.0215

(2.26)(0.028151)
10
3.5987

=
0.0201
3.5958

REFERENCES
[1] Grubbs, F.E., 1974. Procedures for Detecting Outlying Observations in Samples.
Maryland: Ballistic Research Laboratories. 10-13.
[2] Gilbert, T.R., et al., 2011. Chemistry: The Science in Context. New York: WW
Norton & Company, Inc. 31-32.
[3] Almeda, J.V., et al., 2010. Elementary Statistics. Quezon City: UP Diliman. 236239.
[4] Mode, E.B., Elements of Statistics. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 202-204.