Testing Dr. Mazza's Belief: Are Students Younger than 24 Less Than 35%?

Is Dr. Mazza's belief about the proportion of students younger than 24 being lower than 35% supported?

a. Yes

b. No

c. Not sure

The belief is supported with an alternative hypothesis of:

c. p > 0.35

Dr. Mazza believes that the proportion of students younger than 24 is lower than the reported 35%, and this belief is supported by an alternative hypothesis of p > 0.35. The alternative hypothesis suggests that the true proportion of students younger than 24 is greater than 35%.

When conducting hypothesis testing, the null hypothesis typically represents the status quo or the value being tested, while the alternative hypothesis presents the researcher's assertion. In this case, Dr. Mazza's belief that the proportion is lower than 35% is reflected in the alternative hypothesis of p > 0.35.

By formulating this alternative hypothesis, Dr. Mazza is setting the stage to test his belief against the null hypothesis that the proportion is 35% or less. The alternative hypothesis of p > 0.35 suggests that there is evidence to support the idea that students younger than 24 make up more than 35% of the total student population.