Calculate expected value for click-through rates

Last updated: February 8, 2026

Quick Overview

Given the following scenario about revenue per session, calculate the the sample size needed.

Palantir
Statistics & Math
Data Scientist
Palantir
February 8, 2026
Data Scientist
Take-home Project
Statistics & Math
Hard

2

6

1,977 solved


Given the following scenario about revenue per session, calculate the the sample size needed.

Statistics questions at Palantir test your ability to reason quantitatively and design rigorous experiments. This Take-home Project question evaluates your understanding of statistical inference and its application to business decisions.

What the Interviewer Expects
  • Derive results from first principles when needed
  • Handle complex scenarios with multiple interacting variables
  • Design experiments that account for real-world complications
  • Discuss advanced topics: Bayesian methods, causal inference, resampling
  • Connect statistical concepts to business decision-making
  • Identify subtle errors in reasoning (Simpson's paradox, survivorship bias)
Key Topics to Cover
Bayesian vs frequentist inference
Hypothesis testing (H0, H1, p-values)
Multiple testing correction (Bonferroni, FDR)
Central Limit Theorem
How to Approach This
  1. Define your hypotheses (H0 and H1) clearly before performing any test.
  2. Calculate required sample size BEFORE running an experiment, using power analysis.
  3. Remember the Central Limit Theorem: sample means become approximately normal with large n.
  4. Watch for Simpson's paradox. Always segment data by key dimensions.
  5. Distinguish between statistical significance and practical significance.
Possible Follow-up Questions
  • How would you handle multiple comparisons?
  • What if the sample size is very small?
  • What alternative statistical method could you use here?
  • How would you explain this result to a non-technical audience?
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Sample Answer
Problem Formulation

To calculate the expected value for the click-through rates (CTR) and determine the sample size needed, we first need to define the following:

  • Revenue per session (R): This is the revenue gener...
Solution Approach

To derive the sample size needed, we will:

  1. Define the expected click-through rate pp. If we have historical data, we can use that; otherwise, a common initial estimate is p=0.1p = 0.1 (10%). ...

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