Template:Classification of multiple hypothesis tests
The following table defines the possible outcomes when testing multiple null hypotheses. Suppose we have a number m of null hypotheses, denoted by: H1, H2, ..., Hm. Using a statistical test, we reject the null hypothesis if the test is declared significant. We do not reject the null hypothesis if the test is non-significant. Summing each type of outcome over all Hi yields the following random variables:
| Null hypothesis is true (H0) | Alternative hypothesis is true (HA) | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test is declared significant | <math>V</math> | <math>S</math> | <math>R</math> |
| Test is declared non-significant | <math>U</math> | <math>T</math> | <math>m - R</math> |
| Total | <math>m_0</math> | <math>m - m_0</math> | <math>m</math> |
- <math>m</math> is the total number hypotheses tested
- <math>m_0</math> is the number of true null hypotheses, an unknown parameter
- <math>m - m_0</math> is the number of true alternative hypotheses
- <math>V</math> is the number of false positives (Type I error) (also called "false discoveries")
- <math>S</math> is the number of true positives (also called "true discoveries")
- <math>T</math> is the number of false negatives (Type II error)
- <math>U</math> is the number of true negatives
- <math>R=V+S</math> is the number of rejected null hypotheses (also called "discoveries", either true or false)
In <math>m</math> hypothesis tests of which <math>m_0</math> are true null hypotheses, <math>R</math> is an observable random variable, and <math>S</math>, <math>T</math>, <math>U</math>, and <math>V</math> are unobservable random variables.