R and o m V aria b l es and D iscrete P r o b a b i l ity D istri b u ti o ns
231
Exercises
7.100 Given a binomial random variable with n = 10 and
p = .3, use the formula to find the following
probabilities.
a. P(X = 3)
b. P(X = 5)
c. P(X = 8)
7.101 Repeat Exercise 7.100 using Table 1 in Appendix B.
7.102 Repeat Exercise 7.100 using Excel.
7.103 Given a binomial random variable with n = 6 and
p = .2, use the formula to find the following
probabilities.
a. P(X = 2)
b. P(X = 3)
c. P(X = 5)
7.104 Repeat Exercise 7.103 using Table 1 in Appendix B.
7.105 Repeat Exercise 7.103 using Excel.
7.106 Suppose X is a binomial random variable with n = 25
and p = .7. Use Table 1 to find the following.
a. P(X = 18)
b. P(X = 15)
c. P(X ≤ 20)
d. P(X ≥ 16)
7.107 Repeat Exercise 7.106 using Excel.
7.108 A sign on the gas pumps of a chain of gasoline
stations encourages customers to have their oil
checked with the claim that one out of four cars
needs to have oil added. If this is true, what is the
probability of the following events?
a. One out of the next four cars needs oil
b. Two out of the next eight cars need oil
c. Three out of the next 12 cars need oil
7.109 The leading brand of dishwasher detergent has a
30% market share. A sample of 25 dishwasher deter-
gent customers was taken.
a. What is the probability that 10 or fewer
­customers chose the leading brand?
b. What is the probability that 11 or more
­customers chose the leading brand?
c. What is the probability that 10 customers chose
the leading brand?
7.110 A certain type of tomato seed germinates 90% of
the time. A backyard farmer planted 25 seeds.
a. What is the probability that exactly 20 germinate?
b. What is the probability that 20 or more germinate?
c. What is the probability that 24 or fewer germinate?
d. What is the expected number of seeds that
germinate?
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
7.111 According to the American Academy of Cosmetic
Dentistry, 75% of adults believe that an unattractive
smile hurts career success. Suppose that 25 adults
are randomly selected.
a. What is the probability that 15 or more of
them would agree with the claim?
b. What is the probability that less than 14 would
agree?
c. What is the probability that 15 would agree?
7.112 A student majoring in accounting is trying to decide
on the number of firms to which he should apply.
Given his work experience and grades, he can
expect to receive a job offer from 70% of the firms
to which he applies. The student decides to apply to
only four firms. Determine the probability distribu-
tion. That is calculate the probability for each of the
values 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.
7.113 According to a Gallup poll 27% of American adults
have confidence in banks. Suppose that you inter-
view 5 Americans adults at random.
a. What is the probability that 2 or fewer have
confidence in banks?
b. What is the probability that no one had confi-
dence in banks?
c. What is the probability that 3 or more have
confidence in banks?
7.114 According to a Pew Research Center survey 30%
of graduates who had student loans are delinquent
(90 or more days behind in their payments. Suppose
that a survey of 10 such graduates is taken.
a. What is the probability that 3 are delinquent?
b. What is the probability that 3 or more are
delinquent?
7.115 Dermatologists strongly recommend that people
who are exposed to sunlight should either be covered
up or put on sunscreen. Suppose that at a Florida
condominium pool only a quarter of residents sit
around the pool in the sun with no sunscreen.
a. What is the probability that in a random
sample of 10 condo residents 3 or fewer have
no sunscreen?
b. What is the expected number of residents
who do not use sunscreen in a random sample
of 100?
7.116 A statistics practitioner working for major league
baseball determined the probability that the hitter
will be out on ground balls is .75. In a game where
there are 20 ground balls, find the probability that
all of them were outs.
232 CHAPTER 7
7.117 In a recent survey the Pew Research Center asked
graduates of private universities whether they were
satisfied with their current job and 72% said they
were. Suppose you take a sample of four private
university graduates and ask each whether they are
satisfied with their current jobs.
a. What is the probability that all four say they
are satisfied?
b. What is the probability that two say they are
satisfied?
c. Determine the expected number of people who
are satisfied.
7.118 According to a recent Gallop poll only 29% of
American adults said they were satisfied with the
way things are going in the United States. Suppose
you randomly select 10 American adults and ask
each whether they are satisfied with the way things
are going in the United States.
a. What is the probability that three or fewer are
satisfied?
b. What is the probability that none are satisfied?
c. What are the expected number of people in the
sample who are satisfied?
Exercises 7.119 to 7.126 are best solved with a computer.
7.119 The probability of winning a game of craps (a dice-
throwing game played in casinos) is 244/495.
a. What is the probability of winning 5 or more
times in 10 games?
b. What is the probability of winning in 50 or
more times in 100 games?
7.120 In the game of blackjack as played in casinos in Las
Vegas, Atlantic City, and Niagara Falls, as well as in
many other cities, the dealer has the advantage. Most
players do not play very well. As a result, the probabil-
ity that the average player wins a hand is about 45%.
Find the probability that an average player wins.
a. Twice in 5 hands.
b. Ten or more times in 25 hands.
7.121 Several books teach blackjack players the “basic
strategy,” which increases the probability of win-
ning any hand to 50%. Repeat Exercise 7.102,
assuming the player plays the basic strategy.
7.122 The best way of winning at blackjack is to “case the
deck,” which involves counting 10s, non-10s, and
aces. For card counters, the probability of winning a
hand may increase to 52%. Repeat Exercise 7.102
for a card counter.
7-5    P o i s s o n D i s t r i b u t i o n
Another useful discrete probability distribution is the Poisson distribution, named
after its French creator. Like the binomial random variable, the Poisson random vari-
able is the number of occurrences of events, which we’ll continue to call successes. The
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
7.123 In the game of roulette, a steel ball is rolled onto a
wheel that contains 18 red, 18 black, and 2 green
slots. If the ball is rolled 25 times, find the probabil-
ities of the following events.
a. The ball falls into the green slots two or more
times.
b. The ball does not fall into the green slots.
c. The ball falls into black slots 15 or more
times.
d. The ball falls into red slots 10 or fewer times.
7.124 According to a Gallup Poll 52% of American adults
think that protecting the environment should be
given priority over developing U.S. energy supplies.
Thirty-six percent think that developing energy sup-
plies is more important, and 6% believe the two are
equally important. The rest had no opinion. Suppose
that a sample of 100 American adults is quizzed on
the subject. What is the probability of the following
events?
a. Fifty or more think that protecting the environ-
ment should be given priority.
b. Thirty or fewer think that developing energy
supplies is more important.
c. Five or fewer have no opinion.
7.125 In a Bon Appetit poll, 38% of people said that choco-
late was their favorite flavor of ice cream. A sample
of 20 people was asked to name their favorite flavor
of ice cream. What is the probability that half or
more of them prefer chocolate?
7.126 The statistics practitioner in Exercise 7.116 also
determined that if a batter hits a line drive, the
probability of an out is 23%. Determine the follow-
ing probabilities.
a. In a game with 10 line drives, at least 5 are outs.
b. In a game with 25 line drives, there are 5 outs
or less.
7.127 In a recent Gallup poll 53% of American adults
believed that Congress is doing a poor or bad job.
Suppose that you randomly choose 100 American
adults and ask their opinion about Congress.
a. Determine the probability that more than half
say that Congress is doing a poor or bad job.
b. Compute the probability more than 60% say
that congress is doing a poor or bad job.
c. What is the expected number of American
adults in your sample who would say that
Congress is doing a poor or bad job?