MOVING ON TO ANOVA (Analysis of Variance)

We have just finished comparing the means of TWO data sets to determine if there is a significant difference between them. We have used the z-Test (proportions) and the t-Test to do this.

We FINALLY find a use for the VARIANCE!

We haven't used the variance very much in this course, just its square root, the standard deviation.

There is a LOT of squaring (and maybe swearing) in ANOVA calculations and if you recall from your Week 1 exercise in calculating variance, we squared distances to make any negative ones, positive. This is what we are essentially doing here, but in multiple dimensions.

We are basically comparing the Means and Variances of multiple populations (three or more) to see if ANY are significantly different from the others. (see the Additional Guidance attachment for assistance.) It will NOT tell us which population is different, however.