SOLUTION: A researcher for Agri-Giant Corporation wants to study how many pounds of tomatoes are typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour day. The Corporation will consider using p

Question 924989: A researcher for Agri-Giant Corporation wants to study how many pounds of tomatoes are typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour day. The Corporation will consider using picking machines if the labourers cannot pick at least 240 pounds, on average. The researcher randomly sampled 100 farm labourers, found out how many pounds of tomatoes each picked and calculated the sample mean and standard deviation.
Part b) In testing a hypothesis about a parameter of interest, what would your null hypothesis be?
A) The mean number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is greater than 240 pounds.
B) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is less than 240 pounds.
C) The mean number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is 240 pounds.
D) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manuallabourer in an 8-hour shift is greater than 240 pounds.
E) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is different from 240 pounds.
F) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is 240 pounds.
G) The mean number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is less than 240 pounds.

So I am not quite sure how the null hypothesis is defined in this question ( same for alternate).
In the original question, when they state "The Corporation will consider using picking machines if the labourers cannot pick at least 240 pounds, on average." does that imply the Ho: mean is greater than or equal to 240 while Ha: mean less than 240?
I assumed that Ha is the "change", so the corporation picking machines would signify the Ha as being less than 240 pounds? (So my guess was A)
I am just so confused with how to identify the null & alternate hypotheses. Any explanations would be appreciated! Thank you.

Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A researcher for Agri-Giant Corporation wants to study how many pounds of tomatoes are typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour day.
The Corporation will consider using picking machines if the labourers CANNOT PICK AT LEAST 240 pounds, on average. The researcher randomly sampled 100 farm labourers, found out how many pounds of tomatoes each picked and calculated the sample mean and standard deviation.
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To keep in mind::
1st: "Equality" must ALWAYS appear in Ho.
2nd: The "claim" may appear in either Ho or in Ha.
-------------------------
Your Problem::
"Cannot Pick At Least" means they pick less than 240 lbs.
Ho: u >= 240
Ha: u < 240
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Part b) In testing a hypothesis about a parameter of interest, what would your null hypothesis be?
A) The mean number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is greater than 240 pounds.
B) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is less than 240 pounds.
C) The mean number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is 240 pounds.
D) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manuallabourer in an 8-hour shift is greater than 240 pounds.
E) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is different from 240 pounds.
F) The total number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is 240 pounds.
G) The mean number of pounds of tomatoes typically picked by a manual labourer in an 8-hour shift is less than 240 pounds.
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Comment:: It has to be a statement about "u", i.e. mean, not "total number"
and it has to have "equality"::
Ans:: Only "C" meets both of those requirements.
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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So I am not quite sure how the null hypothesis is defined in this question ( same for alternate).
In the original question, when they state "The Corporation will consider using picking machines if the labourers cannot pick at least 240 pounds, on average." does that imply the Ho: mean is greater than or equal to 240 while Ha: mean less than 240?
I assumed that Ha is the "change", so the corporation picking machines would signify the Ha as being less than 240 pounds? (So my guess was A)
I am just so confused with how to identify the null & alternate hypotheses. Any explanations would be appreciated! Thank you.

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