DA0-002 Data Analysis Practice Question
An analyst is comparing the average sales of two different store locations using a t-test. The p-value obtained is 0.03, and the significance level is 0.05. What should the analyst conclude?
⚠ Common exam trap
DA0-002 often tests the p-value vs. α comparison — candidates confuse 'low p-value' with 'inconclusive' or mistakenly say you 'accept' the null hypothesis instead of 'fail to reject' it.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Reject the null hypothesis; there is a significant difference
When the p-value (0.03) is less than the significance level (0.05), the analyst rejects the null hypothesis. This means there is statistically significant evidence of a difference between the average sales of the two store locations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Fail to reject the null hypothesis; no significant difference
Why it's wrong here
A p-value of 0.03 falls below the 0.05 significance level, so the null hypothesis is rejected and a significant difference is inferred. Failing to reject applies only when the p-value exceeds the threshold, so this conclusion inverts the decision rule that the stem's numbers dictate.
- ✗
The test is inconclusive because the p-value is too low
Why it's wrong here
A p-value of 0.03 is below the 0.05 threshold, which yields a definite decision to reject the null hypothesis, not indecision. Inconclusiveness arises only when the p-value sits above the significance level, so this misreads the comparison.
- ✓
Reject the null hypothesis; there is a significant difference
Why this is correct
A p-value of 0.03 falls below the 0.05 significance level, so the null hypothesis of no difference is rejected. The result is statistically significant, indicating the two store locations' average sales genuinely differ rather than reflecting random sampling variation.
- ✗
Accept the null hypothesis; the means are equal
Why it's wrong here
A p-value below the significance level rejects the null hypothesis; it is never accepted, since non-rejection merely means insufficient evidence to reject. Accepting would require a p-value above 0.05, which is not the case here.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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