C785 Applied Healthcare Statistics Final Exam 2026 |WGU
1. A researcher categorizes patients into groups based on their primary health
insurance provider (e.g., Medicare, Private, Uninsured). Which scale of
measurement is being used?
A. Nominal
B. Ordinal
C. Interval
D. Ratio
Answer: A
Rationale: The nominal scale is used for variables that are categorized into distinct groups
without any inherent order or ranking.
2. In a dataset representing patient recovery times, which measure of central
tendency is most affected by an extreme outlier?
A. Mode
B. Median
C. Range
D. Mean
Answer: D
Rationale: The mean is calculated by summing all values and dividing by the count, making
it highly sensitive to extreme values or outliers.
,3. If the variance of a set of patient ages is 25, what is the standard deviation?
A. 50
B. 12.5
C. 5
D. 625
Answer: C
Rationale: The standard deviation is the square root of the variance. The square root of 25
is 5.
4. A clinical trial reports a p-value of 0.02. If the significance level (alpha) is set
at 0.05, what should the researcher conclude?
A. Fail to reject the null hypothesis
B. The results are inconclusive
C. Accept the null hypothesis
D. Reject the null hypothesis
Answer: D
Rationale: When the p-value is less than or equal to the alpha level (0.02 < 0.05), the
researcher rejects the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative.
5. Which of the following describes a Type I error in healthcare research?
A. Failing to find a difference when one actually exists
B. Rejecting the null hypothesis when it is actually true
C. Correctly identifying a treatment effect
D. Accepting the null hypothesis when it is false
Answer: B
Rationale: A Type I error, also known as a false positive, occurs when a researcher rejects
a true null hypothesis.
, 6. A study measures the weight of newborn babies in kilograms. What type of
variable is this?
A. Qualitative
B. Discrete Quantitative
C. Continuous Quantitative
D. Nominal
Answer: C
Rationale: Weight is a continuous quantitative variable because it can take on any value
within a range and can be measured with high precision.
7. A scatter plot shows that as the dosage of a medication increases, the
severity of symptoms decreases. What type of correlation does this represent?
A. Positive correlation
B. Zero correlation
C. Negative correlation
D. Curvilinear correlation
Answer: C
Rationale: A negative correlation occurs when one variable increases while the other
variable decreases.
8. Which sampling method involves dividing a population into groups based on
a characteristic (like age) and then randomly selecting individuals from each
group?
A. Stratified Sampling
B. Simple Random Sampling
C. Cluster Sampling
D. Convenience Sampling
Answer: A
1. A researcher categorizes patients into groups based on their primary health
insurance provider (e.g., Medicare, Private, Uninsured). Which scale of
measurement is being used?
A. Nominal
B. Ordinal
C. Interval
D. Ratio
Answer: A
Rationale: The nominal scale is used for variables that are categorized into distinct groups
without any inherent order or ranking.
2. In a dataset representing patient recovery times, which measure of central
tendency is most affected by an extreme outlier?
A. Mode
B. Median
C. Range
D. Mean
Answer: D
Rationale: The mean is calculated by summing all values and dividing by the count, making
it highly sensitive to extreme values or outliers.
,3. If the variance of a set of patient ages is 25, what is the standard deviation?
A. 50
B. 12.5
C. 5
D. 625
Answer: C
Rationale: The standard deviation is the square root of the variance. The square root of 25
is 5.
4. A clinical trial reports a p-value of 0.02. If the significance level (alpha) is set
at 0.05, what should the researcher conclude?
A. Fail to reject the null hypothesis
B. The results are inconclusive
C. Accept the null hypothesis
D. Reject the null hypothesis
Answer: D
Rationale: When the p-value is less than or equal to the alpha level (0.02 < 0.05), the
researcher rejects the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative.
5. Which of the following describes a Type I error in healthcare research?
A. Failing to find a difference when one actually exists
B. Rejecting the null hypothesis when it is actually true
C. Correctly identifying a treatment effect
D. Accepting the null hypothesis when it is false
Answer: B
Rationale: A Type I error, also known as a false positive, occurs when a researcher rejects
a true null hypothesis.
, 6. A study measures the weight of newborn babies in kilograms. What type of
variable is this?
A. Qualitative
B. Discrete Quantitative
C. Continuous Quantitative
D. Nominal
Answer: C
Rationale: Weight is a continuous quantitative variable because it can take on any value
within a range and can be measured with high precision.
7. A scatter plot shows that as the dosage of a medication increases, the
severity of symptoms decreases. What type of correlation does this represent?
A. Positive correlation
B. Zero correlation
C. Negative correlation
D. Curvilinear correlation
Answer: C
Rationale: A negative correlation occurs when one variable increases while the other
variable decreases.
8. Which sampling method involves dividing a population into groups based on
a characteristic (like age) and then randomly selecting individuals from each
group?
A. Stratified Sampling
B. Simple Random Sampling
C. Cluster Sampling
D. Convenience Sampling
Answer: A
