Videocassette Recorder (VCR) Tapes Are Designed So That Users Can

question 15

Essay

Videocassette recorder (VCR) tapes are designed so that users can repeatedly record new material over old material. However, after a number of re-recordings the tape begins to deteriorate. A VCR tape manufacturer is experimenting with a new technology, which hopefully will produce longer-lasting tapes. Thirty of the old-style tapes and 30 utilising the new technology were used in an experiment. The tapes were used to record and re-record programs until they began to deteriorate. The number of re-recordings is assumed to be normally distributed. It is generally accepted that the number of re-recordings should exceed 55. Any tapes that do not meet this criterion are considered to be unacceptable. The number of re-recordings were observed and shown in the accompanying table. $$\begin{array} { | c | c | c | c | c | c | } \hline { \text { Old-style tapes } } &&& { \text { New-technology tapes } } \\\hline 60 & 61 & 48 & 68 & 70 & 58 \\\hline 51 & 46 & 66 & 74 & 72 & 69 \\\hline 66 & 63 & 61 & 77 & 73 & 49 \\\hline 73 & 55 & 71 & 59 & 66 & 61 \\\hline 71 & 49 & 76 & 52 & 58 & 59 \\\hline 47 & 56 & 55 & 66 & 51 & 49 \\\hline 60 & 62 & 64 & 62 & 59 & 57 \\\hline 52 & 51 & 63 & 51 & 56 & 66 \\\hline 64 & 68 & 52 & 50 & 55 & 76 \\\hline 47 & 55 & 58 & 63 & 68 & 78 \\\hline\end{array}$$ a. Can we infer at the 10% significance level that the number of re-recordings of the old tapes is more consistent than the number of re-recordings of the new tapes?
b. Do the data allow us to infer at the 10% significance level that the proportion of unacceptable old tapes exceeds 20%?
c. Find the p-value of the test.

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Definitions:

Amblyopia

Condition in which vision in one eye is reduced as a result of disuse; usually caused by a failure of the two eyes to look in the same direction.

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A specific time in development when the presence or absence of certain experiences has a long-lasting influence on the brain and future behavior.

Masculinization

The process by which an organism develops characteristics that are traditionally considered masculine, often involving the influence of androgens.