A statistical test comparing means is called which?

A statistical test comparing means is called which?

• A. t-test
• B. ANOVA
• C. Regression
• D. Correlation

Answer: (A)

The key idea is testing whether averages are the same or different. The t-test is the go-to method for this, because it uses the difference between sample means and the variability in the data to determine if that difference could plausibly arise by chance. Two common scenarios: comparing two groups to see if their means differ, and testing whether a single sample mean matches a known value. There are also paired versions when the data are matched or before-after; all of these fall under the umbrella of a t-test. ANOVA, by contrast, handles three or more groups at once and uses an F-statistic to test if at least one group mean differs. Regression and correlation look at relationships between variables, not differences between means. Hence, for a question about comparing means, the t-test is the appropriate and standard choice.

The key idea is testing whether averages are the same or different. The t-test is the go-to method for this, because it uses the difference between sample means and the variability in the data to determine if that difference could plausibly arise by chance.

Two common scenarios: comparing two groups to see if their means differ, and testing whether a single sample mean matches a known value. There are also paired versions when the data are matched or before-after; all of these fall under the umbrella of a t-test.

ANOVA, by contrast, handles three or more groups at once and uses an F-statistic to test if at least one group mean differs. Regression and correlation look at relationships between variables, not differences between means. Hence, for a question about comparing means, the t-test is the appropriate and standard choice.