INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

MATH SL

EXERCISES 5.8-5.10
DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

Compiled by Christos Nikolaidis

DISCRETE PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION

A. Practice Questions

1. The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is given by the following table.

x 1 2 3 4 5
P(X = x) 0.4 0.2 0.15 0.15 0.1

Find
(a) the expected value E(X) of X
(b) the mode of X
(c) the median of X
(d) the lower quartile Q1 and the upper quartile Q3

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

2. The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is given by the following table.

x 1 2 3
P(X = x) a 2a b

Find the values of a and b given that E(X) = 2.2

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3. The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is given by the following table.
x 1 2 3
P(X = x) 0.2 0.4 0.4

Nikos selects a number

If he selects 1 he earns 10 euro
If he selects 2 he earns 5 euro
If he selects 3 he loses 4 euro
(a) Find the expected value of X
(b) Find the expected value of the profit for Nikos. Is the game fair?

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(SL 5.8-5.10) – Page 2
 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

4. A discrete random variable X has its probability distribution given by

P(X = x) = x/6 where x is 1, 2, 3.
(a) Complete the following table showing the probability distribution for X
x 1 2 3

P(X = x)

(b) Find E(X).

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(Total 6 marks)

5. Consider the words

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN

We pick a number at random. Let X be the size (number of letters) of the corresponding word.
(a) Give the probability distribution for X (i.e. the table of probabilities)
(b) Find the expected number of X.

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

B. Past Paper Questions (SHORT)

6. The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is given by the following table.
x 1 2 3 4 5
P(X = x) 0.4 p 0.2 0.07 0.02

(a) Find the value of p.

(b) Calculate the expected value of X.

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(Total 6 marks)

7. A discrete random variable X has a probability distribution as shown in the table below.
x 0 1 2 3
P(X = x) 0.1 a 0.3 b

(a) Find the value of a + b. (2)

(b) Given that E(X) =1.5, find the value of a and of b. (4)

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(Total 6 marks)

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

8. The following table shows the probability distribution of a discrete random variable X.

x –1 0 2 3
P (X = x) 0.2 10k2 0.4 3k

(a) Find the value of k. (b) Find the expected value of X.

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(Total 7 marks)
9. A discrete random variable X has its probability distribution given by
P(X = x) = k(x + 1), where x is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.
(a) Complete the following table showing the probability distribution for X (in terms of k)

x 0 1 2 3 4
P(X = x)
1
(b) Show that k =
15
(c) Find E(X).

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(Total 6 marks)
(SL 5.8-5.10) – Page 5
 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

10. Three students, Kim, Ching Li and Jonathan each have a pack of cards, from which they select a
card at random. Each card has a 0, 3, 4, or 9 printed on it.
(a) Kim states that the probability distribution for her pack of cards is as follows.
x 0 3 4 9
P(X = x) 0.3 0.45 0.2 0.35

Explain why Kim is incorrect.

(2)
(b) Ching Li correctly states that the probability distribution for her pack of cards is as
follows.

x 0 3 4 9
P(X = x) 0.4 k 2k 0.3

Find the value of k.

(2)
(c) Jonathan correctly states that the probability distribution for his pack of cards is given by
x +1
P(X = x) = . One card is drawn at random from his pack.
20
(i) Calculate the probability that the number on the card drawn is 0.
(ii) Calculate the probability that the number on the card drawn is greater than 0.
(4)

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(Total 8 marks)

Extra question
(d) Complete the following probability distribution for Jonathan’s pack of cards.

x 0 3 4 9

P(X = x)

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

BINOMIAL DISTRIBUTION

A. Practice Questions

11. [Use the binomial distribution formula for your answers and confirm by your GDC]

A fair coin is tossed eight times.

(a) Calculate the probability of obtaining

exactly 4 heads

exactly 3 heads

3, 4 or 5 heads

no heads

always heads

at most 2 heads

at least 3heads

(b) Find the expected number of heads and the variance of the number of heads

E(X) Var(X)

12. The random variable X follows the binomial distribution B(n,p). Given that E(X) = 10 and
Var(X) = 6 find the values of n and p.

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13. The random variable X follows the binomial distribution B(8, p). Given that
P(X = 2) ≅ 0.209
find the possible values of p.

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14. The random variable X follows the binomial distribution B(8, p). Find the value of p

(a) given that P(X ≤ 2) = 0.3154 (b) given that P(X > 2) = 0.6846

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15. The random variable X follows the binomial distribution B(n, 0.4). Given that
P(X = 2) = 0.209
find the value of n.

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B. Past Paper Questions (SHORT)

16. A fair coin is tossed five times. Calculate the probability of obtaining
(a) exactly three heads; (b) at least one head.

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(Total 6 marks)

17. The probability of obtaining heads on a biased coin is 0.18. The coin is tossed seven times.
(a) Find the probability of obtaining exactly two heads. (2)
(b) Find the probability of obtaining at least two heads. (3)

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(Total 5 marks)

18. A factory makes switches. The probability that a switch is defective is 0.04.
The factory tests a random sample of 100 switches.
(a) Find the mean number of defective switches in the sample. (2)
(b) Find the probability that there are exactly six defective switches in the sample. (2)
(c) Find the probability that there is at least one defective switch in the sample. (3)

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(Total 7 marks)
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19. A factory makes calculators. Over a long period, 2 % of them are found to be faulty. A random
sample of 100 calculators is tested.
(a) Write down the expected number of faulty calculators in the sample.
(b) Find the probability that three calculators are faulty.
(d) Find the probability that more than one calculator is faulty.

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(Total 6 marks)

20. A box contains 35 red discs and 5 black discs. A disc is selected at random and its colour noted.
The disc is then replaced in the box.
(a) In eight such selections, what is the probability that a black disc is selected
(i) exactly once?
(ii) at least once? (6)
(b) The process of selecting and replacing is carried out 400 times.
What is the expected number of black discs that would be drawn? (2)

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(Total 8 marks)

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NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

A. Practice Questions

21. The random variable X follows a normal distribution with µ = 100 and σ = 20, i.e. N(100,202)

(a) find the probabilities

P(X < 90) P(90 < X < 130) P(X > 130)
(b) Sketch a diagram representing the information in question (a)
(c) Find the standardised values of 90, 100 and 130
(d) Sketch a similar diagram to (b) containing the standardised values above.

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22. The random variable X follows a normal distribution with µ = 100 and σ = 20, i.e. N(100,202)
(a) Given that P(X < a) = 0.8 find the value of a.
(b) Given that P(X > b) = 0.3 find the value of b.
(c) Find Q1 and Q3.

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23. The random variable X follows a normal distribution with µ unknown and σ = 20, i.e. N(µ,202)
Given that P(X < 130) = 0.8 find the value of µ.

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24. The random variable X follows a normal distribution with µ = 100 , σ unknown, i.e. N(100,σ 2)
Given that P(X < 130) = 0.8 find the value of σ.

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B. Past Paper Questions (SHORT)

25. The mass of packets of a breakfast cereal is normally distributed with a mean of 750 g and
standard deviation of 25 g.

(a) Find the probability that a packet chosen at random has mass
(i) less than 740 g; (ii) at least 780 g; (iii) between 740 g and 780 g.
(5)
(b) Two packets are chosen at random. What is the probability that both packets have a mass
which is less than 740 g?
(2)
(c) The mass of 70% of the packets is more than x grams. Find the value of x.
(2)

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(Total 9 marks)

26. The heights, H, of the people in a certain town are normally distributed with mean 170 cm and
standard deviation 20 cm.
(a) A person is selected at random. Find the probability that his height is less than 185 cm. (3)
(b) Given that P (H > d) = 0.6808, find the value of d. (3)

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(Total 6 marks)

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27. The heights of a group of students are normally distributed with a mean of 160 cm and a
standard deviation of 20 cm.
(a) A student is chosen at random. Find the probability that the student’s height is greater than
180 cm.
(b) In this group of students, 11.9% have heights less than d cm. Find the value of d.

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(Total 6 marks)

28. The weights of a group of children are normally distributed with a mean of 22.5 kg and a
standard deviation of 2.2 kg.
(a) Write down the probability that a child selected at random has a weight more than 25.8
kg.
(b) Of the group 95% weigh less than k kilograms. Find the value of k.
(c) The diagram below shows a normal curve.

On the diagram, shade the region that represents the following information:
87% of the children weigh less than 25 kg

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(Total 6 marks)

30. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in a certain population is normally distributed with a mean of 100 and
a standard deviation of 15.
(a) What percentage of the population has an IQ between 90 and 125?
(b) If two persons are chosen at random from the population, what is the probability that both
have an IQ greater than 125?

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(Total 5 marks)

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

29. The heights of certain plants are normally distributed. The plants are classified into three
categories.
The shortest 12.92% are in category A.
The tallest 10.38% are in category C.
All the other plants are in category B with heights between r cm and t cm.
(a) Complete the following diagram to represent this information.

(2)

(b) Given that the mean height is 6.84 cm and the standard deviation 0.25 cm, find the value
of r and of t.
(5)

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(Total 7 marks)

31. It is claimed that the masses of a population of lions are normally distributed with a mean mass
of 310 kg and a standard deviation of 30 kg.
(a) Calculate the probability that a lion selected at random will have a mass of 350 kg or
more.
(2)
(b) The probability that the mass of a lion lies between a and b is 0.95, where a and b are
symmetric about the mean. Find the value of a and of b.
(3)

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(Total 5 marks)

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32. Residents of a small town have savings which are normally distributed with a mean of $ 3000
and a standard deviation of $500.
(i) What percentage of townspeople have savings greater than $ 3200?
(ii) Two townspeople are chosen at random. What is the probability that both of them have
savings between $ 2300 and $ 3300?
(iii) The percentage of townspeople with savings less than d dollars is 74.22 %. Find d.

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(Total 8 marks)

33. A company manufactures television sets. They claim that the lifetime of a set is normally
distributed with a mean of 80 months and standard deviation of 8 months.
(a) What proportion of television sets break down in less than 72 months? (2)
(b) (i) Calculate the proportion of sets which have a lifetime between 72 and 90 months.
(ii) Illustrate this proportion by appropriate shading in a sketch of a normal distr. curve.
(c) If a set breaks down in less than x months, the company replace it free of charge. They
replace 4% of the sets. Find the value of x. (3)

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(Total 10 marks)

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34. The heights of trees in a forest are normally distributed with mean height 17 metres. One tree is
selected at random. The probability that a selected tree has a height greater than 24 metres is
0.06.
(a) Find the probability that the tree selected has a height less than 24 metres. (2)
(b) The probability that the tree has a height less than D metres is 0.06. Find the value of D. (3)
(c) A woodcutter randomly selects 200 trees. Find the expected number of trees whose height
lies between 17 metres and 24 metres. (4)

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(Total 9 marks)

35. A random variable X is distributed normally with a mean of 100 and a variance of 100.
(a) Find the value of X that is 1.12 standard deviations above the mean.
(b) Find the value of X that is 1.12 standard deviations below the mean.

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(Total 4 marks)

36. In a country called Tallopia, the height of adults is normally distributed with a mean of 187.5 cm
and a standard deviation of 9.5 cm.
(a) What percentage of adults in Tallopia have a height greater than 197 cm? (3)
(b) A standard doorway in Tallopia is designed so that 99 % of adults have a space of at least
17 cm over their heads when going through a doorway. Find the height of a standard
doorway in Tallopia. Give your answer to the nearest cm.
(4)
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(Total 7 marks)
(SL 5.8-5.10) – Page 17
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37. The heights of boys at a particular school follow a normal distribution with a standard deviation
of 5 cm. The probability of a boy being shorter than 153 cm is 0.705.
(a) Calculate the mean height of the boys.
(b) Find the probability of a boy being taller than 156 cm.

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(Total 6 marks)

38. The scores of a test given to students are normally distributed with a mean of 21.
80 % of the students have scores less than 23.7.
(a) Find the standard deviation of the scores. (3)
A student is chosen at random. This student has the same probability of having a score less than
25.4 as having a score greater than b.
(b) (i) Find the probability the student has a score less than 25.4.
(ii) Find the value of b.
(4)

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(Total 7 marks)
(SL 5.8-5.10) – Page 18
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39. The heights of certain flowers follow a normal distribution. It is known that 20% of these
flowers have a height less than 3 cm and 10% have a height greater than 8 cm.
Find the value of the mean µ and the standard deviation σ.

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(Total 6 marks)
40. The speeds of cars at a certain point on a straight road are normally distributed with mean µ and
standard deviation σ. 15 % of the cars travelled at speeds greater than 90 km h–1 and 12 % of
them at speeds less than 40 km h–1. Find µ and σ.

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(Total 6 marks)

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

C. Past Paper Questions (LONG)

(Please answer on separate answer sheets)

41. Two fair four-sided dice, one red and one green, are thrown. For each die, the faces are labelled
1, 2, 3, 4. The score for each die is the number which lands face down.
(a) Write down
(i) the sample space;
(ii) the probability that two scores of 4 are obtained. (4)
Let X be the number of 4s that land face down.
(b) Complete the following probability distribution for X.

x 0 1 2

P(X = x)

(3)
(c) Find E(X).
(3)
(Total 10 marks)
Extra question
You throw the two dice above.
If two 4s are obtained you win 20€
If only one 4 is obtained you win 5€
If no 4 is obtained you lose 2€
(d) Find the expected amount earned in one game.
(e) If you play this game 100 times find the amount expected to win.

42. Bag A contains 2 red balls and 3 green balls. Two balls are chosen at random from the bag
without replacement. Let X denote the number of red balls chosen. The following table shows
the probability distribution for X
X 0 1 2
3 6 1
P(X = x)
10 10 10
(a) Calculate E(X), the mean number of red balls chosen.
(3)
Bag B contains 4 red balls and 2 green balls. Two balls are chosen at random from bag B.
(b) (i) Draw a tree diagram to represent the above information, including the probability of
each event.
(ii) Hence find the probability distribution for Y, where Y is the number of red balls
chosen.
(8)
A standard die with six faces is rolled. If a 1 or 6 is obtained, two balls are chosen from bag A,
otherwise two balls are chosen from bag B.
(c) Calculate the probability that two red balls are chosen.
(5)
(d) Given that two red balls are obtained, find the conditional probability that a 1 or 6 was
rolled on the die.
(3)
(Total 19 marks)
(SL 5.8-5.10) – Page 20
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43. A four-sided die has three blue faces and one red face. The die is rolled.
Let B be the event a blue face lands down, and R be the event a red face lands down.
(a) Write down the values of
(i) P (B)
(ii) P (R)
(2)
(b) If the blue face lands down, the die is not rolled again. If the red face lands down, the die
is rolled once again. This is represented by the following tree diagram, where p, s, t are
probabilities.

Find the value of p, of s and of t .

(2)
Guiseppi plays a game where he rolls the die. If a blue face lands down, he scores 2 and is
finished. If the red face lands down, he scores 1 and rolls one more time. Let X be the total score
obtained.
3
(c) (i) Show that P (X = 3) = .
16
(ii) Find P (X = 2).
(3)
(d) (i) Construct a probability distribution table for X.

(ii) Calculate the expected value of X.

(5)
(e) If the total score is 3, Guiseppi wins $10. If the total score is 2, Guiseppi gets nothing.
Guiseppi plays the game twice. Find the probability that he wins exactly $10.
(4)
(Total 16 marks)

1
44. The probability of obtaining heads on a biased coin is .
3
(a) Sammy tosses the coin three times. Find the probability of getting
(i) three heads;
(ii) two heads and one tail. (5)

(b) Amir plays a game in which he tosses the coin 12 times.

(i) Find the expected number of heads.
(ii) Amir wins $ 10 for each head obtained, and loses $ 6 for each tail.
Find his expected winnings. (5)
(Total 10 marks)

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 SL 5.8-5.10 DISTRIBUTIONS – BINOMIAL – NORMAL

45. A pair of fair dice is thrown.

(a) Complete the tree diagram below, which shows the possible outcomes.

(3)
Let E be the event that exactly one four occurs when the pair of dice is thrown.
(b) Calculate P(E). (3)

The pair of dice is now thrown five times.

(e) Calculate the probability that event E occurs exactly three times in the five throws. (3)
(d) Calculate the probability that event E occurs at least three times in the five throws. (3)
(Total 12 marks)

46. Reaction times of human beings are normally distributed with a mean of 0.76 seconds and a
standard deviation of 0.06 seconds.
(a) The graph below is that of the standard normal curve. The shaded area represents the
probability that the reaction time of a person chosen at random is between 0.70 and 0.79
seconds.

a 0 b

(i) Write down the value of a and of b.

(ii) Calculate the probability that the reaction time of a person chosen at random is
(a) greater than 0.70 seconds;
(b) between 0.70 and 0.79 seconds.
(6)
Three percent (3%) of the population have a reaction time less than c seconds.
(b) (i) Represent this information on a diagram similar to the one above. Indicate clearly
the area representing 3%.
(ii) Find c.
(4)
(Total 10 marks)

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47. A box contains a large number of biscuits. The weights of biscuits are normally distributed with
mean 7 g and standard deviation 0.5 g.
(a) One biscuit is chosen at random from the box. Find the probability that this biscuit
(i) weighs less than 8 g; (ii) weighs between 6 g and 8 g. (4)
(b) Five percent of the biscuits in the box weigh less than d grams.
(i) Complete the following normal distribution diagram, to represent this information,
by indicating d, and shading the appropriate region.

(ii) Find the value of d. (5)

(c) The weights of biscuits in another box are normally distributed with mean µ and standard
deviation 0.5 g. It is known that 20% of the biscuits in this second box weigh less than
5 g. Find the value of µ. (4)
(Total 13 marks)
48. The lifespan of a particular species of insect is normally distributed with a mean of 57 hours
and a standard deviation of 4.4 hours.
(a) The probability that the lifespan of an insect of this species lies between 55 and 60
hours is represented by the shaded area in the following diagram. This diagram
represents the standard normal curve.

a 0 b
(i) Write down the values of a and b. (2)
(ii) Find the probability that the lifespan of an insect of this species is
(a) more than 55 hours; (b) between 55 and 60 hours. (3)
(b) 90% of the insects die after t hours.
(i) Represent this information on a standard normal curve diagram, similar to the
one given in part (a), indicating clearly the area representing 90%. (2)
(ii) Find the value of t. (3)
(Total 10 marks)

49. The graph shows a normal curve for the random variable X, with mean µ and standard
deviation σ.
y

A
0 12 x

It is known that p (X ≥ 12) = 0.1.

(a) The shaded region A is the region under the curve where x ≥ 12. Write down the area of
the shaded region A. (1)
It is also known that p (X ≤ 8) = 0.1.
(b) Find the value of µ, explaining your method in full. (3)
(c) Show that σ = 1.56 to an accuracy of three significant figures. (4)
(d) Find p (X ≤ 11). (2)
(Total 10 marks)

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50. The weights of chickens for sale in a shop are normally distributed with mean 2.5 kg and
standard deviation 0.3 kg.
(a) A chicken is chosen at random.
(i) Find the probability that it weighs less than 2 kg.
(ii) Find the probability that it weighs more than 2.8 kg.
(iii) In the diagram below, shade the areas that represent the probabilities from parts (i)
and (ii).

(iv) Find the probability that it weighs between 2 kg and 2.8 kg (4sf).
(7)
(b) A customer buys 10 chickens.
(i) Find the probability that all 10 chickens weigh between 2 kg and 2.8 kg.
(ii) Find the probability that at least 7 of the chickens weigh between 2 kg and 2.8 kg.
(6)
(Total 13 marks)

51. Bags of cement are labelled 25 kg. The bags are filled by machine and the actual weights are
normally distributed with mean 25.7 kg and standard deviation 0.50 kg.
(a) What is the probability a bag selected at random will weigh less than 25.0 kg? (2)
In order to reduce the number of underweight bags (bags weighing less than 25 kg) to 2.5% of
the total, the mean is increased without changing the standard deviation.
(b) Show that the increased mean is 26.0 kg. (3)
It is decided to purchase a more accurate machine for filling the bags. The requirements for this
machine are that only 2.5% of bags be under 25 kg and that only 2.5% of bags be over 26 kg.
(c) Calculate the mean and standard deviation that satisfy these requirements. (3)
The cost of the new machine is $5000. Cement sells for $0.80 per kg.
(d) Compared to the cost of operating with a 26 kg mean, how many bags must be filled in
order to recover the cost of the new equipment? (3)
(Total 11 marks)

52. In a large school, the heights of all fourteen-year-old students are measured.
The heights of the girls are normally distributed with mean 155cm and standard deviation 10cm.
The heights of the boys are normally distributed with mean 160cm and standard deviation 12cm.
(a) Find the probability that a girl is taller than 170 cm. (2)
(b) Given that 10% of the girls are shorter than x cm, find x. (2)
(c) Given that 90% of the boys have heights between q cm and r cm where q and r are
symmetrical about 160 cm, and q < r, find the value of q and of r. (3)
In the group of fourteen-year-old students, 60% are girls and 40% are boys.
The probability that a girl is taller than 170 cm was found in part (a).
The probability that a boy is taller than 170 cm is 0.202.
A fourteen-year-old student is selected at random.
(d) Calculate the probability that the student is taller than 170 cm. (3)
(e) Given that the student is taller than 170 cm, what is the probability the student is a girl? (3)
(Total 13 marks)

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