MATH 1281 Discussion Assignment Unit 4
Paired Data Example:
Data Type: Blood pressure measurements for the same group of patients before and after starting
a new drug.
Explanation: Each patient serves as their own control in this example, and the two sets of measurements (before and after) are paired.
Unpaired Data Example:
Data Type: Blood pressure measurements from two sets of patients, one receiving the new drug and the other a placebo.
Explanation: Because the measures come from various groups of people, they are independent of
one another.
Characteristics and Description:
Data Pairing:
The paired data consist of measurements or observations made on the same persons or items before and after a treatment or intervention.
The pairing of observations within the same group or subject is the distinguishing feature. The emphasis is on the disparity between the two measurements.
Data that is not paired:
Unpaired data are measurements or observations from two different groups that are not naturally paired.
The absence of pairing; observations in one group are independent of observations in the other group.
Appropriate t-Procedure:
Paired Data:
Appropriate Procedure: A one-sample t-procedure for paired samples.
Explanation: Because the data are paired (before and after measurements on the same subjects), the differences between the paired observations can be examined using a one-sample t-test.
Unpaired Data:
Appropriate Procedure: Two-sample t-procedure.
Explanation: Because the data are from two separate groups (one receiving the new medication and the other receiving a placebo), a two-sample t-test is acceptable for comparing the means of the two groups.
