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Barbara is investigating the relationship between average income (GDP per capita), $x$ US dollars, and average annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, $y$ tonnes, for different countries - Edexcel - A-Level Maths Statistics - Question 3 - 2019 - Paper 1

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Barbara is investigating the relationship between average income (GDP per capita), $x$ US dollars, and average annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, $y$ tonnes, for... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Barbara is investigating the relationship between average income (GDP per capita), $x$ US dollars, and average annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, $y$ tonnes, for different countries - Edexcel - A-Level Maths Statistics - Question 3 - 2019 - Paper 1

Step 1

Stating your hypotheses clearly, test, at the 5% level of significance, whether or not the product moment correlation coefficient for all countries is greater than zero.

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Answer

To test the hypothesis, we first set our null and alternative hypotheses:

  • Null Hypothesis (H0H_0): ho=0 ho = 0 (there is no correlation)
  • Alternative Hypothesis (H1H_1): ho>0 ho > 0 (there is a positive correlation)

The significance level is set at eta = 0.05. To perform the test, we need the critical value for the correlation coefficient. The critical value for 24 samples at a 5% significance level (one-tailed) is approximately 0.3438.

Since our calculated product moment correlation coefficient is 0.446, we will compare this to our critical value:

  • Since 0.446 > 0.3438, we reject the null hypothesis.

Thus, we conclude that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the product moment correlation coefficient for all countries is greater than zero.

Step 2

Explain how this value supports Barbara’s belief.

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Answer

The product moment correlation coefficient of 0.882 between ee and mm indicates a strong positive linear relationship. This supports Barbara's belief that a non-linear model may be more appropriate. Since the correlation value is significantly higher than what was originally observed (0.446), it suggests that the transformation of the data using logarithmic coding (m=extlog10xm = ext{log}_10 x, c=extlog10yc = ext{log}_10 y) indeed enhances the relationship, implying that the original relationship may not be best represented by a linear model.

Step 3

Show that the relationship between $y$ and $x$ can be written in the form $y = ax^r$ where $a$ and $r$ are constants to be found.

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Answer

Starting from the logarithmic model obtained by coding the data:

extlog10y=1.82+0.89extlog10x ext{log}_{10} y = -1.82 + 0.89 ext{log}_{10} x

We convert this back to exponential form:

  1. Rewrite it as: extlog10y=extlog10(101.82)+0.89extlog10x ext{log}_{10} y = ext{log}_{10}(10^{-1.82}) + 0.89 ext{log}_{10} x

  2. This implies: y=101.82imesx0.89y = 10^{-1.82} imes x^{0.89}

Now, defining constants:

  • Let a=101.82a = 10^{-1.82} and r=0.89r = 0.89, we have: y=axry = ax^r Thus, we have shown the relationship is in the required form with aa and rr found.

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