Editing Alternative hypothesis (section)

== Basic definition ==
The ''alternative hypothesis'' and ''null hypothesis'' are types of conjectures used in statistical tests, which are formal methods of reaching conclusions or making judgments on the basis of data. In [[statistical hypothesis testing]], the null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis are two mutually exclusive statements.

"The statement being tested in a test of [[statistical significance]] is called the '''null hypothesis'''. The test of significance is designed to assess the strength of the evidence against the null hypothesis. Usually, the null hypothesis is a statement of 'no effect' or 'no difference'."<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Moore|first=David S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49751157|title=Introduction to the practice of statistics|date=2003|others=George P. McCabe|isbn=0-7167-9657-0|edition=Fourth|location=New York|oclc=49751157}}</ref> Null hypothesis is often denoted as ''H<sub>0</sub>''.

The statement that is being tested against the null hypothesis is the '''alternative hypothesis'''.<ref name=":0" /> Alternative hypothesis is often denoted as ''H<sub>a</sub>'' or ''H<sub>1</sub>''.

In [[statistical hypothesis testing]], to prove the alternative hypothesis is true, it should be shown that the data is contradictory to the null hypothesis. Namely, there is sufficient evidence against null hypothesis to demonstrate that the alternative hypothesis is true.