A study compares mean blood pressure between two clinics using random samples. Which test is appropriate to compare the means?

A study compares mean blood pressure between two clinics using random samples. Which test is appropriate to compare the means?

• A. 2-sample t-test
• B. Matched Pairs t-test
• C. 1-sample t-test
• D. Chi-square test

Answer: (A)

When you want to compare average values from two independent groups, you use a two-sample t-test. This test assesses whether the difference in mean blood pressure between the two clinics is likely due to random sampling variation. The key is that the samples are independent—not paired—so a matched-pairs t-test would be inappropriate here. A one-sample t-test compares a single sample mean to a known value, and a chi-square test is for categorical data or relationships, not for comparing means. If the data are roughly normal or you have large samples, the two-sample t-test provides a reliable way to determine if the observed difference in means is statistically significant.

When you want to compare average values from two independent groups, you use a two-sample t-test. This test assesses whether the difference in mean blood pressure between the two clinics is likely due to random sampling variation. The key is that the samples are independent—not paired—so a matched-pairs t-test would be inappropriate here. A one-sample t-test compares a single sample mean to a known value, and a chi-square test is for categorical data or relationships, not for comparing means. If the data are roughly normal or you have large samples, the two-sample t-test provides a reliable way to determine if the observed difference in means is statistically significant.