Interpret no significant difference from an experiment
Last updated: February 18, 2026
Quick Overview
An experiment shows a 3% lift with p=0.08. What conclusions can you draw? What are the caveats?
Goldman Sachs
February 18, 2026109
6
3,930 solved
An experiment shows a 3% lift with p=0.08. What conclusions can you draw? What are the caveats?
Goldman Sachs values data-driven decision making. This Take-home Project question assesses whether you can design experiments, interpret results correctly, and avoid common statistical pitfalls like p-hacking or Simpson's paradox.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Set up the problem formally with proper notation
- Apply the correct statistical test with clear justification
- Interpret results with appropriate caveats and confidence levels
- Discuss practical significance vs statistical significance
- Identify potential confounders and how to address them
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Define your hypotheses (H0 and H1) clearly before performing any test.
- Calculate required sample size BEFORE running an experiment, using power analysis.
- Remember the Central Limit Theorem: sample means become approximately normal with large n.
- Watch for Simpson's paradox. Always segment data by key dimensions.
- Distinguish between statistical significance and practical significance.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- What if the sample size is very small?
- What alternative statistical method could you use here?
- How would you design a follow-up experiment based on these results?
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Problem Formulation
We are tasked with interpreting the results of an experiment that shows a 3% lift in a certain metric with a p-value of 0.08. The null hypothesis (H0) states that there is no effect (the lift is 0%), ...
Solution Approach
To interpret the p-value of 0.08 in the context of the 3% lift observed, we follow these steps:
- Evaluate the p-value: Since 0.08 > 0.05, we do not reject the null hypothesis. This indicates tha...
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