Which of the following is the first step in the process of hypothesis testing?

• A. State the null and alternative hypotheses.
• B. Determine the level of significance.
• C. Make a decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
• D. Calculate the test statistic.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the purpose of hypothesis testing: Hypothesis testing is a statistical method used to make decisions or inferences about a population based on sample data.
2. Identify the first step in hypothesis testing: The first step is to clearly state the null hypothesis (H₀) and the alternative hypothesis (H₁). The null hypothesis represents the assumption that there is no effect or no difference, while the alternative hypothesis represents the claim being tested.
3. Explain the importance of stating hypotheses: Clearly defining H₀ and H₁ ensures that the test is focused and provides a basis for evaluating the evidence provided by the sample data.
4. Clarify the role of the other steps: Determining the level of significance, calculating the test statistic, and making a decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis are subsequent steps in the hypothesis testing process.
5. Highlight the sequence: Emphasize that stating the null and alternative hypotheses is the foundational step that guides the entire hypothesis testing process.