A hypothesis test uses H₀: μ = 50 and Hₐ: μ > 50. The test produces a p-value of 0.03. At the α = 0.05 significance level, what conclusion should be made?

Step 1: State the significance level.

The significance level is:
α = 0.05

Step 2: Identify the p-value.

The test produced:
p-value = 0.03

Step 3: Compare the p-value with the significance level.

0.03 < 0.05

The p-value is smaller than α.

Step 4: Apply the decision rule.

When the p-value is less than or equal to the significance level, reject the null hypothesis.

Therefore, we reject H₀.

Step 5: State the conclusion in context.

The sample provides statistically significant evidence at the 0.05 level in favor of the alternative hypothesis that the population mean is greater than 50.

This does not prove that H₀ is false; it means the observed sample result would be sufficiently unusual under H₀ to reject it using the chosen significance level.