# AB test sample size calculation by hand

Evan Miller has created a well-known online AB test sample size calculator. For the sake of being able to program and modify this formula, I would like to know how to calculate sample size Evan Miller-style by hand.

Personally, I'll calculate such a metric by working backwards from how we calculate a 95% confidence interval with the z-test of proportions around the difference in conversion between the two variations ($$\hat{d}$$) by setting it zero.

I'll define/assume:

• $$\alpha$$ = .05, $$\beta$$ = .2
• a 50/50 split between the control and experiment, i.e. $$n\_exp$$ = $$n\_control$$
• the control conversion rate, i.e. the base rate before the experiment = $$c$$
• $$p$$ = pooled conversion rate = (number of exp conversions + number of control conversions/ (n_control + n_experiment)) -> in this context -> $$(nc+n(c+\hat{d}))/2n$$ = $$(2c+\hat{d})/2$$

Now time to solve for $$n$$ ...

$$\hat{d} + Z_{(1+\alpha)/2} * StandardError = 0$$ $$\hat{d} + 1.96 * StandardError = 0$$ $$\hat{d} + 1.96 * \sqrt{p(1-p)(\frac{1}{n\_exp} + \frac{1}{n\_control})} = 0$$ $$\hat{d} + 1.96 * \sqrt{p(1-p)(\frac{2}{n})} = 0$$ $$\sqrt{p(1-p)(\frac{2}{n})} =\frac{-\hat{d}}{1.96}$$

with more simplifying we get to:

$$\frac{(1.96^2) 2p(1-p)}{\hat{d}^2} = n$$ $$\frac{(1.96^2) (2c+2c\hat{d}-2c^2+\frac{3}{2}\hat{d}^2)}{\hat{d}^2} = n$$

At the moment though, my calculation doesn't incorporate power (1-$$\beta$$) but Evan Miller's does.

What should I think about as next steps to incorporate power into my sample size calculation?

(Feel free to also point out other errors in my calculation or assumptions!)

try this: $$n=\frac{(Z_{\alpha/2}\sqrt{2p_1 (1-p_1)}+Z_{\beta}\sqrt{p_1(1-p_1)+p_2(1-p_2)})^2}{|p_2-p_1|^2}$$ where:

• $$p_1$$ is the "Baseline conversion rate"

• $$p_2$$ is the conversion rate lifted by Absolute "Minimum Detectable Effect", which means $$p_1+\text{Absolute Minimum Detectable Effect}$$

• $$\alpha$$ is the "Significance level $$\alpha$$"

• $$\beta$$ is the $$\beta$$ in "Statistical power $$1−\beta$$"

• $$Z_{\alpha/2}$$ means Z Score from the z table that corresponds to $$\alpha/2$$

• $$Z_{\beta}$$ means Z Score from the z table that corresponds to $$\beta$$

I found the formula in A/B测试系列文章之怎么计算实验所需样本量

when I choose:

• $$p_1=20\%$$
• $$p_2=p_1+\text{Absolute Minimum Detectable Effect}=20\%+5\%=25\%$$
• $$\alpha = 5\%$$
• $$\beta = 20\%$$
• $$Z_{\alpha/2}=Z_{5\%/2}=-1.959963985$$
• $$Z_{\beta}=Z_{20\%}=-0.841621234$$

I got 1030.219283 using this formula, which is 1030 in Size Calculator (Evan’s Awesome A/B Tools)

• any idea how to derive the formula?
– Ryan
Jun 26, 2021 at 3:50

I can confirm the chosen answer by looking at the code.

function num_subjects(alpha, power_level, p, delta) {
if (p > 0.5) {
p = 1.0 - p;
}
var t_alpha2 = ppnd(1.0-alpha/2);
var t_beta = ppnd(power_level);

var sd1 = Math.sqrt(2 * p * (1.0 - p));
var sd2 = Math.sqrt(p * (1.0 - p) + (p + delta) * (1.0 - p - delta));

return (t_alpha2 * sd1 + t_beta * sd2) * (t_alpha2 * sd1 + t_beta * sd2) / (delta * delta);
}


where ppnd is used to calculate the 𝑍 values.