To compare the means of two independent groups, which test would you use?

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Multiple Choice

To compare the means of two independent groups, which test would you use?

When you want to compare the average outcome between two independent groups, the two-sample (independent) t-test is the right choice. It assesses whether the difference in group means is larger than what you'd expect from random sampling, using the sample means, variability, and group sizes. The test assumes the outcome is roughly normally distributed in each group and that observations are independent; if variances differ, you can use a version that adjusts for unequal variances (Welch’s correction). The other options don’t fit this scenario: a Chi-square test is for categorical data, ANOVA compares means across three or more groups, and repeated measures ANOVA is for related measurements on the same subjects.

When you want to compare the average outcome between two independent groups, the two-sample (independent) t-test is the right choice. It assesses whether the difference in group means is larger than what you'd expect from random sampling, using the sample means, variability, and group sizes. The test assumes the outcome is roughly normally distributed in each group and that observations are independent; if variances differ, you can use a version that adjusts for unequal variances (Welch’s correction). The other options don’t fit this scenario: a Chi-square test is for categorical data, ANOVA compares means across three or more groups, and repeated measures ANOVA is for related measurements on the same subjects.

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