Question

a medical study was investigating if getting a flu shot actually reduced the risk of developing the flu. a hypothesis test is performed. which of the following will result in a type i error?
choose the correct answer below.
a. researchers could not tell if the flu shot reduced the risk of developing the flu because of other problems with the study.
b. researchers said the flu shot reduced the risk of developing the flu when it actually didnt.
c. researchers said the flu shot did not reduce the risk of developing the flu when it actually didnt.
d. researchers said the flu shot did not reduce the risk of developing the flu when it actually did.
e. researchers said the flu shot reduced the risk of developing the flu when it actually did

Explanation:

A Type I error occurs when we reject the null hypothesis when it is actually true. In hypothesis testing for this medical study, the null hypothesis \(H_0\) would be that the flu - shot does not reduce the risk of developing the flu (\(H_0:\) flu - shot has no effect). Rejecting \(H_0\) (saying the flu - shot reduces the risk) when \(H_0\) is true (the flu - shot actually doesn't reduce the risk) is a Type I error.

Answer:

B. Researchers said the flu shot reduced the risk of developing the flu when it actually didn't.