A biomedical company is studying whether its knee joint replacement is causing nerve damage. After extensive tests, the researchers make an erroneous decision, concluding that the replacement does cause nerve damage. A Type I error is the probability of?

Question

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A Type I error is the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true.
Key Takeaway: A Type I error in hypothesis testing is the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true. In this example, it is the probability that research will show that the knee joint replacement is causing nerve damage when it is not. Instead of accepting the null hypothesis of no damage, the researchers make a mistake of rejecting it and concluding that the replacement does cause damage.

A Biomedical Company Is Studying Whether Its Knee Joint Replacement