When Wildlife Biologists Study Small Animals, the Animals Are Trapped

Essay

When wildlife biologists study small animals, the animals are trapped and thenanesthetized to prevent discomfort to the animal. A study of the effect of theanesthetic, Isoflurane, on Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) resulted in theheartbeat data presented below. The biologists were interested in comparing theeffects of Isoflurane in two different seasons, winter and summer.
An initial analysis of the data revealed that it was reasonable to assume thedistributions of heartbeats for both seasons are approximately normal. It was alsojudged to be reasonable to regard these samples as representative of the Alleghenywoodrat population.
a) Test the hypothesis of no difference between woodrat mean heartbeat rates forwinter and summer.
b) Do the data indicate that the mean heartbeat rates differ?
Provide an appropriatestatistical justification using your response in part (a).