The chi-square test statistic becomes large when observed and expected values are:
AExactly equal to zero
BBoth negative numbers
CNot close to each other
DVery close to each other
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Not close to each other
1. The statistic sums up the gaps between what was seen and what was predicted.
2. If the observed values and the corresponding expected values are not close to each other, then the test statistic can get very large.
3. It will then sit way out in the right tail of the chi-square curve.
4. Close agreement instead produces a small statistic near zero.
_Source: OpenStax Introductory Statistics 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 11 'The Chi-Square Distribution', sections 11.1-11.5_
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