Solutions to Statistical Distributions – Test A Fundamentals Challenge  Expert

Technique: The probability

1 1 1 4 1 distribution represents all outcomes
1. y + + + + + = 1 M1
10 10 10 10 10 in the sample space, so the
probabilities must add up to 1.
8 8 2 1
y + = 1,  y = 1 − = = or 0.2 A1 [2 Marks]
10 10 10 5

2. a) Method 1: using binomial probability function on calculator

x = 6, n = 15, p = 0.43 M1
P( X = 6) = 0.200950... = 0.201 (3 s.f.) A1
n
Method 2: using binomial probability formula P( X = r ) =   p r (1 − p )
n−r

 
r
Alternative Technique: You could
r = 6, n = 15, p = 0.43 also use the formula
15 
P( X = 6) =    0.436  (1 − 0.43)
15 − 6
M1
6
= 0.200950... = 0.201 (3 s.f.) A1 but it’s far easier to use the
cumulative probability function on
b) x = 4, n = 15, p = 0.43 M1
your calculator. It’s important that
P( X  4) = 0.154551... = 0.155 (3 s.f.) you get to know your calculator –
[using binomial cumulative probability function on calculator] A1 it will save you a lot of time!
c) P( X  10) = 1 − P( X  10) M1 Tip: For a precise final answer, use
x = 10, n = 15, p = 0.43 the memory function or ‘Ans’ button
P( X  10) = 0.982590... on your calculator to store the
value of
[using binomial cumulative probability function on calculator]
 P( X  10) = 1 − 0.982590... = 0.0174097... = 0.0174 (3 s.f.) A1
d) n = 15, p = 0.43
x P(X ≤ x)
−4
0 2.17832...  10
1 2.68278...  10
−3 Tip: Use the ‘list’ option on your
calculator to calculate the
2 0.0156994… cumulative probabilities of several
M1 outcomes in a table.
3 0.0582509…
0.0156994… < 0.05 < 0.0582509…
 k = 2 A1 [8 Marks]

3. The dice must be fair, i.e. the probability of each result must be the same B1 [1 Mark]

5 1
4. a) P( X  6) = = or 0.25 B1 Tip: Check the inequality signs
20 4 carefully.
6 3
b) P(4  X  10) = = or 0.3 B1 [2 Marks]
20 10
Technique: The probability
distribution represents all outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 in the sample space, so the
5. a) + + + + = 1 M1 probabilities must add up to 1.
k k k k k
1
(1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5) = 1
k
1
 15 = 1,  k = 15 A1
k
b)
x 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
P( Z = x) B1
15 15 15 15 15

Solutions to Test 5.3a – Statistical Distributions – version 1.1 Page 1 of 2 © ZigZag Education, 2018
 c) i) P(odd number) = P(Z = 1) + P(Z = 3) + P(Z = 5) M1
1 3 5 3
= + + = = 0.6
15 15 15 5
Alternative Technique: Use binomial
Model O, the number of random values of Z that are odd, as O ~ B ( 5, 0.6 ) M1 probability formula
Using calculator, P(O = 3) = 0.3456 = 0.346 (3 s.f.) A1
ii) P(even number) = P( Z = 2) + P( Z = 4) M1
2 4 6 2 Alternative Method:
= + = = = 0.4 P(even number) = 1 – P(odd number)
15 15 15 5
Model E, the number of random values of Z that are even, as E ~ B (5, 0.4) M1
Alternative Technique: You can also
P( E  3) = 1 − P( E  2) M1 use the binomial cumulative
P( E  2) = 0.68256 [using binomial probability function on calculator] distribution function table.

 P( E  3) = 1 − 0.68256 = 0.31744 = 0.317 (3 s.f.) A1 [10 Marks]

6. a) Binomial distribution B1
The probability of each light bulb being faulty can reasonably be
assumed to be independent
There are only two possible outcomes (faulty / not faulty)
There is a fixed probability of a bulb being faulty (0.1% or 0.001)
There are a fixed number of bulbs being tested (100) B2 (all points needed)
b) 0.1% = 0.001
Model number of faulty bulbs in batch as F ~ B(100, 0.001) M1
P( F = 0) = 0.904792... = 0.905 (3 s.f.) [using calculator binomial probability function] A1
c) 0.02% = 2 × 10−4 Alternative Technique: Use the
P( F  k ) = 1 − P( F  k ) M1 binomial probability formula

n = 100, p = 0.001
x P(F ≤ x) 1 – P(F ≤ x)
0 0.904792… 0.0952078… Tip: Use the ‘list’ option on your
calculator to calculate the cumulative
1 0.995361… 4.63806...  10
−3
probabilities of several outcomes in a
table.
2 0.999849… 1.50376...  10
−4
M1
4.63806… × 10 > 0.0002 > 1.50376… × 10−4
−3

 k = 2, as 1 − P( F  2) = 1.50376... 10−4  2 10−4 A1 [8 Marks]

7. a) 40%  20 = 8 shots Alternative Technique: You can also

Model number of shots on target, T, as T ~ B(20, 0.4) M1 use the binomial cumulative
distribution function table.
P(T  8) = 1 − P(T  7) M1
P(T  7) = 0.415892... [using binomial cumulative probability function on calculator] M1
 P(T  8) = 1 − 0.415892... = 0.584107... = 0.584 (3 s.f.) A1
b) Model S, number of rounds with at least 40% of shots on target, as binomial distribution with n = 4 (total number of
rounds) and p = 0.584107… (probability of at least 40% on target) Alternative Technique: Use binomial
S B(4, 0.584107...) M1 probability formula
 4
P(S = 4) =   ( 0.584107... ) (1− 0.584107... )
4 4−4
P(S = 4) = 0.116404... = 0.116 (3 s.f.) using binomial
 4
probability function on calculator A1
c) P( S  3) = 1 − P( S  2) M1 Alternative Technique:
P(S  2) = 0.552068... M1
 P(S  3) = 1 − 0.552068... = 0.447931... = 0.448 (3 s.f.) A1 [9 Marks]

TOTAL 40 MARKS

Solutions to Test 5.3a – Statistical Distributions – version 1.1 Page 2 of 2 © ZigZag Education, 2018