INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Applied Mechanics

APL 103 Problem sheet No. 3

1. Three experiments set-up to measure the charge of the electron (in 10–19 Coulombs) gave the results
(mean ± standard error):
i) 1.602 ± 0.003; ii) 1.607 ± 0.004; and iii) 1.603 ± 0.002.
What is the best combined estimate and its standard error?

2. Show that the binomial distribution (p= ½) has a single peak at r = n/2 when n is even and two equal
peaks at (n-1)/2 and (n+1)/2 when n is odd. [Hint: look at the ratio P(r; n) and P(r-1; n)]

3. Similarly, show that the Poisson distribution has a single peak at r = {}, when  is not an integer
and two equal peaks at and  when  is an integer. {}represents the largest integer less
than.

4. Show that the mean square deviation for a Poisson distribution is .

5. Show that for a Gaussian distribution, ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅

(𝑥 − 𝜇)4 = 3 4 or if we use z = (x – )/, then ̅̅̅
𝑧 4 = 3.

6. Two villages are linked by 12 telephone lines. The number of subscribers wishing to make a phone
call at any one time is on an average 10 and it can be assumed that they have a Poisson distribution.
What is the probability that a user will not be able to make a call because all lines are in use? How
many lines do you need to reduce this to less than 1%?

7. In a certain manufacturing process the diameter of shafts produced has a mean diameter of 12.00cm
and a standard deviation of 0.05cm. If shaft diameters in the range 11.9cm to 12.1cm are acceptable,
how many rejects would you expect in a random lot of 100 shafts?

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