6.

Cars arrive at a car wash randomly and independently; the probability of an arrival is the same
for any two-time intervals of equal length. The mean arrival rate is 15 cars per hour.
No. of car arrivals Probability
X f(X) No. of car arrivals Probability No. of car arrivals Probability
X f(X) X f(X)
0 Pois s on Probabiliti e s of Car A rrivals
3.05902E-07
11 0.066287387 21 0.029864504
1 0.12 4.58853E-06
12 0.082859234 22 0.020362162
2 0.1 3.4414E-05
13 0.095606809 23 0.013279671
3 0.08 0.00017207
14 0.102435867 24 0.008299794
4 0.000645263
0.06 15 0.102435867 25 0.004979876
5 0.001935788
0.04 16 0.096033625 26 0.002873006
6 0.00483947
0.02 17 0.084735551 27 0.001596114
7 0.010370294
0 18 0.07061296 28 0.000855061
8 1 2 0.0194443
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1913 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
0.055747073 2926 27 28 29 0.000442273
30 31
9 0.032407167
20 0.041810305 30 0.000221137
10 0.048610751

a. What is the probability that 20 or more cars will arrive during any given hour of
operation? (5 marks)

X P(X)
P (>20) 0.124781

 Since the formula for finding the probability that 20 or more cars will arrive at any given
hour is very complex, the simplest way of finding it is just to deduct the probability of
having less than 20 cars arriving (answer in letter b) from 1 or 100%. We know that the
total probability is always 100%, and since the probabilities are only divided into two
 which are P (x > 20) & P (x < 20), where the latter is the easiest one to find, deducting
the probability P (x < 20) = 0.875219 or 87.52% from 1 or 100%, we get 0.124781215 or
12.48%

b. What is the probability that less than 20 cars will arrive during the any given hour
of operation? (5 marks)

X P(X)
P (<20) 0.875219

7. A machine fills containers with a particular product. The standard deviation of filling weights is
known from past data to be .6 ounce. If only 2% of the containers hold less than 18 ounces,
what is the mean filling weight for the machine? That is, what must - equal? Assume the filling
weights have a normal distribution. (4 marks)

Standard 0.6
deviation
P(x<18) 0.02
Z-score -2.05375
Mean 19.23

 Z-score = (observed value – mean)/standard deviation

 -2.05 = (18 – X)/0.6
 X or Mean = 19.23