DBM 0212- QUANTITATIVE TECHNIQUES

SECTION A

Question One

a) A variable is a characteristic that can be measured and that can assume different values.

For example, if you want to test whether some plant species are more salt-tolerant than
others, some key variables you might measure include the amount of salt you add to the
water, the species of plants being studied, and variables related to plant health like growth
and wilting.

b) Expand (6x - 2)(9x + 4) using FOIL method

Solution:

((6x)+(−2))((9x)+(4))

(6x)(4)+(-2)(9x)+(-2)(4)

54x^2+24x-18x-8

= 54x^2+6x-8

c) The cash prize of a sofa set is Kshs 80000. A customer paid a deposit of Kshs 4000. He
repaid the amount owing in 10 equal monthly installments. How much was each installment?

Hire Purchase Price = Deposit + Total Instalments

80,000 = 4000 + 10i

76,000 = 10i

Instalment = Kshs. 7,600

d) Explain the meaning of the terms mean, mode and median as used in Measurement of
Central Tendency

Mean is the sum of all values divided by the total number of values and it is the most
commonly used measure of central tendency because all values are used in the calculation.

The mode is the most frequently occurring value in the dataset. It’s possible to have no mode,
one mode, or more than one mode. And in order to find the mode, sort your dataset
numerically or categorically and select the response that occurs most frequently
The median of a dataset is the value that’s exactly in the middle when it is ordered from low
to high.

e) Two numbers have the ratio 7:5.Their difference is 12. Find the two numbers

Let the numbers be x and y

x-y = 12

x/y = 7/5

5x = 7y

X = 12 + y

5(12+y) = 7y

Y = 30

X = 30+12 = 42

Therefore the two numbers are 30 and 42

f) Explain the difference between Independent events and Mutually exclusive events as used
in Probability giving an example in each case

Two events are mutually exclusive when they cannot occur at the same time. For example, if
we flip a coin it can only show a head OR a tail, not both.

For independent events, the occurrence of one event does not affect the occurrence of the
others. For example, if we flip a coin two times, the first time may show a head, but the next
time when we flip the coin the outcome will be heads also

g) Define the following terminologies as used in set theory

i. Subsets - In set theory, a set X is defined as a subset of the other set Y, if all the elements of
set X should be present in the set Y. This can be symbolically represented by X ⊂ Y

ii. Null set - he null set is a set that does not contain any values or elements. It is expressed as
{ } and denoted by ∅

iii. Finite set - Finite sets are sets having a finite/countable number of members. Finite sets
are also known as countable sets, as they can be counted.
h) Solve the inequality 2(3x+2)-20>8(x-3)

6x + 4 -20 > 8x – 24

8x-6x < 24+4-20

2x < 8
Question Two

a) Explain any four limitations of Statistics

(1) Statistics laws are true on average. Statistics are aggregates of facts, so a single
observation is not a statistic. Statistics deal with groups and aggregates only.

2) Statistical methods are best applicable to quantitative data.

(3) Statistics cannot be applied to heterogeneous data.

(4) If sufficient care is not exercised in collecting, analyzing and interpreting the data,
statistical results might be misleading.
Question Five:

a) The assumption of linear programming are:

- The relation shown by the constraints and the objective function are linear.

- The parameters could vary as per magnitude

- The basic characteristics of linear programming is to find the optimal value based on certain
available problem

b i)

x is the number of units of X produced in the current week

y is the number of units of Y produced in the current week

constraints are:

50x+24y≤40⋅60 machine A time

30x+33y≤35⋅60 machine B time

x≥75−30

That is x≥45 so production of X ≥ demand (75) - initial stock (30), which ensures we meet
demandy≥95−90

i.e.

y≥5 so production of Y ≥ demand (95) - initial stock (90), which ensures we meet demand

The objective is: maximise

(x+30−75)+(y+90−95)=(x+y−50)

i.e. to maximise the number of units left in stock at the end of the week

It is plain from the diagram below that the maximum occurs at the intersection of

x=45 and 50x+24y=2400

ii