Question

Ethan is conducting an experiment to determine whether a new medication is effective in reducing sneezing. He finds 1,500 volunteers with sneezing issues and divides them into 2 groups. The control group does not receive any medication; the treatment group receives the medication. The patients in the treatment group show reduced signs of sneezing. What can Ethan conclude from this experiment?

Answer 1

the medicine helps but not very much

Answer 2

Answer:

The medicine is effective in reducing sneezing.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this example, Ethan wants to perform an experiment that will determine whether a medication is effective in reducing sneezing.

In order to make sure that the resulting effect is actually a result of the medicine, Ethan needs a control group. As the control group and the treatment group are equal in every aspect except the use of the medicine, he can assume that any differences in outcome will be a result of the medicine. Therefore, when the treatment group show reduced signs of sneezing, he knows that this is an effect of the treatment, and that the medicine works.