Sta. Romana, Caroline Joyce P.

2ME-D

Chapter 4- Continuous Probability

Practice Exercises

The driving distance for the top 100 golfers on the PGA tour is between 284.7 yards and 310.6 yards (Golfweek, March
29, 2003). Assume that the driving distance for these golfers is uniformly distributed over this interval. What is the
probability that the driving distance for one of these golfers is:

a. greater than 297.58 yards?

1
𝑃(𝑥 > 297.58) = (𝑏 − 𝑎) ( )
𝑏−𝑎
1
= (310.6 − 297.58) ( )
310.6 − 284.7
= 0.5027 = 50.37%

b. between 288.13 yards and 304.61 yards?

1
𝑃(288.13 < 𝑥 < 304.61) = (𝑏 − 𝑎) ( )
𝑏−𝑎
1
= (304.61 − 288.13) ( )
310.6 − 284.7
= 0.6363 = 63.63%

c. 306.49 yards at maximum?

1
𝑃(𝑥 > 297.580) = (𝑏 − 𝑎) ( )
𝑏−𝑎
1
= (306.49 − 284.7) ( )
310.6 − 284.7
= 0.8413 = 84.13%

d. How many of these golfers drive the ball at least 295 yards?
1
𝑃(𝑥 > 295) = (𝑏 − 𝑎) ( )
𝑏−𝑎
1
= (310.6 − 295) ( )
310.6 − 284.7
= 0.6023 = 60% = 60

Practice Exercises

After taking the final exam, it appears that Tim is part of the 85th percentile in terms of ranking. Assuming that the mean
is 60 and the standard deviation is 3.2, calculate Tim’s score in the final exam.
Hint: Obtain the 𝒛-value using the given percentile. Unless specified, the percentile is below the normal curve. Hence,
this is 0.85 from the left. Check the 𝒛-table to look for the 𝒛-value that has an area of 0.8500.

𝑃(𝑧 < 𝑧0 ) = 0.85 = 1.036

𝑥−𝑢
= 1.036
𝑜
𝑥 − 60
= 1.036
3.2
𝑥 = 63.3152
Practice Exercises

A recent survey conducted to the employees of Hilton Network Asia reveals that 39.16% of them are in favor of having
off-site business meetings at least twice a year. Suppose that this is true for the current population of all employees
working in that company. A random sample of 120 employees is selected. Using the normal distribution for
approximation, what is the probability that the employees who are in favor of having off-site business meetings at least
twice a year are:

a. at most 47?
𝑥 − 𝑛𝑝
𝑧=
√𝑛𝑝𝑞
(47 + 0.50) − (120)(0.3916)
=
√(120)(0.3916)(0.6084)
= 0.095
𝑃(𝑥 ≤ 47) = 0.5359

b. more than 63?

𝑥 − 𝑛𝑝
𝑧=
√𝑛𝑝𝑞
(63 + 0.50) − (120)(0.3916)
=
√(120)(0.3916)(0.6084)
= 3.087
𝑃(𝑥 > 63) = 1 − 0.9990 = 0.001

c. between 38 and 44?

𝑥 − 𝑛𝑝
𝑧1 =
√𝑛𝑝𝑞
(38 − 0.50) − (120)(0.3916)
=
√(120)(0.3916)(0.6084)
= −1.7752

𝑥 − 𝑛𝑝
𝑧2 =
√𝑛𝑝𝑞
(44 + 0.50)– (120)(0.3916)
=
√(120)(0.3916)(0.6084)
= −0.4661

𝑃(𝑧 < 0.47) − 𝑃(𝑧 < −1.7752)

= 0.3206 − 0.0379
= 0.2827

d. fewer than 60?

𝑥 − 𝑛𝑝
𝑧=
√𝑛𝑝𝑞

(60 − 0.50) − (120)(0.3916)

=
√(120)(0.3916)(0.6084)

= 2.339

𝑃(𝑥 < 60) = 0.9903

Practice Exercises

1. A call center agent receives an average of 28 calls per hour. Assuming that this follows a Poisson distribution, use the
normal approximation to determine the probability that in an hour, the call center agent will receive:
a. 32 or more calls.
𝑥−𝜆
𝑧=
√𝜆
(32 − 0.50) − 28
=
√28
= 0.66

𝑃(𝑥 ≥ 0.66) = 1– 0.7454

= 0.2546

c. greater than 25 calls.

𝑥−𝜆
𝑧=
√𝜆
(25 + 0.50) − 28
=
√28
= −0.4725
𝑃(𝑥 > 25) = 1 − 0.3192
= 0.6808

d. exactly 44 calls.
𝑥−𝜆
𝑧1 =
√𝜆
(44 − 0.50) − 28
=
√28
= 2.93

𝑥−𝜆
𝑧2 =
√𝜆
(44 + 0.50) − 28
=
√28
= 3.12

𝑃(𝑥 = 44) = 0.9991 − 0.9983

= 0.0008

2.An average of 3.1 daisies grows in 1 square meter of grass, following a Poisson distribution. Using the normal
approximation, what is the probability that there will be at least 46 daisies on a lawn of 22.8 square meters?

𝜆 = (3.1)(22.8)
= 70.68

𝑥−𝜆
𝑧=
√𝜆
 (46 − 0.50) − 70.68
=
√70.68
= −2.9951

𝑃(𝑥 ≥ 46) = 1 − 0.0014

= 0.9986

Practice Exercises

The Rivera Family has put up a small business, which sells cakes and pastries. It was observed that the time (in minutes)
between order placements follows an exponential distribution with a rate parameter of 1/17. After receiving the first
order, what is the probability that the family will have to wait:
a. more than 23 minutes for the next order?
𝑃(𝑥 > 𝑥0 ) = 1 − (1 − 𝑒 −𝜆𝑥 )
1
𝑃(𝑥 > 23) = 1 − (1 − 𝑒 −(17)(23) )
= 0.2585

b. at most 14.37 minutes for the next order?

𝑃(𝑥 ≤ 𝑥0 ) = (1 − 𝑒 −𝜆𝑥 )
1
𝑃(𝑥 ≤ 14.37) = (1 − 𝑒 −(17)(14.37) )
= 0.5706

c. between 19.05 and 25.40 minutes for the next order?

𝑃(𝑥0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑥1 ) = (1 − 𝑒 −𝜆𝑥 + 𝑒 −𝜆𝑥 )
1 1
𝑃(19.05 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 25.40) = 1 − (1 − 𝑒 −(17)(19.05) + 𝑒 −(17)(25.40) )

= 0.1016