An article in a management journal that deals with changes in social skill over time states, “For these subjects, the difference in their mean performances on a scale of skill between age 25 and the current survey was significant

(P < 0.01).”

(a) Explain what it means for the result to be “significant.”

(b) Explain why it would have been more informative if the authors provided the actual P-value rather than merely indicating that it is below 0.01.

What other information might they have provided?