MATH 306-RECITATION 2

October 22, 2020

Let X1 , X2 , · · · , Xn constitute a random sample from a population, with mean E(Xi ) = µ and variance
var(Xi ) = σ 2 for i = 1, · · · , n. Then
Pn
Xi 2
• X̄ = i=1 n
X̄−µ
is the sample mean and we have E(X̄) = µ and var(X̄) = σn , also Z = σ/√ ≈ n(0, 1)
n
Pn
(Xi −X̄)2
• S 2 = i=1n−1 is called the sample variance.
(n−1)S 2
• σ2 ≈ χ2n−1 has chi-squared distribution with n − 1 degree of freedom.

1 Question 1
A random sample of size 15 is taken from normal population with variance σ 2 = 17.41. Approximate
P (S 2 ≤ 7).

Solution:
Here we have n = 15 ⇒ n − 1 = 14, σ 2 = 17.4, thus

S2 ≤ 7

14 ∗ S 2 14 ∗ 7
χ214 ≈ ≤ ≈ 5.628
17.4 17.4
So,
P (S 2 ≤ 7) = P (χ214 ≤ 5.628 = 1 − P (χ214 ≥ 5.628) = 1 − 0.975 = 0.025

1
2 Question 2
A bottle machine can be regulated so that it discharges an average of µ ounces per bottle. It has been
observed that the amount of fill dispensed by the machine is normally distributed with σ = 1.0 ounce. A
sample of n = 9 filled bottles is randomly selected from the output of the machine on a given day (all bottled
with the same machine setting) and the ounces of fill measured for each.
i: Find the probability that the sample mean will be within 0.3 ounce of the true mean µ for that par-
ticular setting (That is, find P (|Ȳ − µ| ≤ 0.3).

Solution: P9
Let Y1 , · · · , Y9 be our sample random of ounces filled.Then Ȳ = i=1 and E(Ȳ ) = µ and var(Ȳ ) =
σ2 1.0
9 = 9 .

|Ȳ − µ| ≤ 0.3 ⇒ −0.3 ≤ Ȳ − µ ≤ 0.3

−0.3 Ȳ − µ 0.3
1 ≤ ≤
√1 1
3 σ 3

−0.9 ≤ Z ≤ 0.9
Ȳ −µ
By central limit theorem Z = √1
≈ n(0, 1) So we are looking for
σ

P (−0.9 ≤ z ≤ 0.9) = P (−0.9 ≤ z ≤ 0) + P (0 ≤ z ≤ 0) = 2P (0 ≤ z ≤ 0.9) = 2 ∗ 0.3159 = 0.6318

ii: How many observations should be included in the above sample if we wish Ȳ to be within 0.3 ounce
of µ with probability 0.95.

Solution:
In this part we need to find size of the sample n, such that P (|Ȳ − µ| ≤ 0.3) = 0.95.
Same as in part (i)
−0.3 Ȳ − µ 0.3
−0.3 ≤ Ȳ − µ ≤ 0.3 ⇒ 1 ≤ 1 ≤ 1
√ √ √
n n n

So we are looking at √ √
P (−0.3 n ≤ z ≤ 0.3 n) = 0.95
√ √
2P (0 ≤ z ≤ 0.3 n) = 0.95 ⇒ P (0 ≤ z ≤ 0.3 n) = 0.475
Using the SND table we can see P (0 ≤ z ≤ 1.96) = 0.475, so
√
0.3 n = 1.96 ⇒ n = 42.68

As n is a sample size it should be an integer, it implies that n = 43

2
3 Question 3
Achievement test scores of all high school students in a state has mean 60 and variance 64. A random sample
of n = 100 students from on large high school students has a mean score 58. Is there evidence to suggest
that high school is inferior?

Solution:
Let Y1 , · · · , Yn be a sample from the chosen high school.
Question asks: Calculate the probability that the sample mean is at most Ȳ ≤ 58 when n = 100.
Again we use the CLT for this question

Ȳ ≤ 58 ⇒ Ȳ − µ ≤ 58 − 60

Ȳ − µ −2
64 ≤ 64
10 10
Z ≤ −2.5
So we need to find P (z ≤ −2.5)

P (z ≤ −2.5) = P (z ≥ 2.5) = 0.5 − P (0 ≤ z ≤ 2.5) = 0.50.4938 = 0.0062

This probability is too small, it suggests that the true average of that particular school should be lower than
60. Hence, it is inferior.