Assignment 8:

1. Classify the following random variables as discrete or continuous:

X: the number of automobile accidents per year in Virginia.
Y: the length of time to play 18 holes of golf.
M: the amount of milk produced yearly by a particular cow.
N: the number of eggs laid each month by a hen.

2. A coin is flipped until 3 heads in succession occur. List only those elements of the sample
space that require 6 or less tosses. Is this a discrete sample space? Explain.

3. Determine the value c so that each of the following function can serve as a probability
distribution of the discrete random variable X:
 2  3 
f(x) = c    , for x = 0, 1, 2.
 x  3 − x 

4. Find a formula for the probability distribution of the random variable X representing the
outcome when a single die is rolled once.

5. A shipment of 7 television sets contains 2 defective sets. A hotel makes a random purchase of
3 of the sets. If x is the number of defective sets purchased by the hotel, find the probability
distribution of X.
(a) Express the results graphically as a probability histogram.
(b) Find the cumulative distribution function of the random variable X representing the
number of defectives.
(c) Using F(x), find (i) P(X = 1), (ii) P(0 < X ≤ 2).
(d) Construct a graph of the cumulative distribution function.

6. Magnetron tubes are produced on an automated assembly line. A sampling plan is used
periodically to assess quality of the lengths of the tubes. This measurement is subject to
uncertainty. It is thought that the probability that a random tube meets length specification is
0.99. A sampling plan is used in which the lengths of 5 random tubes are measured.
(a) Show that the probability function of Y, the number out of 5 that meet length
specification, is given by the following discrete probability function:
5!
f(y) = (0.99) y (0.01)5− y , for y = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
y !(5 − y )!

(b) Suppose random selections are made off the line and 3 are outside specifications. Use f(y)
above either to support or to refuse the conjecture that the probability is 0.99 that a single
tube meets specifications.

PHM111s - Probability and Statistics

7. Determine the probability mass function of X from the following cumulative distribution
function:
0 x  −2
 0.2 -2  x  0

F ( x) = 
 0.7 0 x2
 1 2 x

8. The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is

3− x
 3 1   3 
x

f ( x) =       , x = 0,1,2,3.
 x  4   4 
Find the mean of X.

9. A coin is biased such that a head is three times as likely to occur as a tail. Find the expected
number of tails when this coin is tossed twice.

10.The distribution of the number of imperfections per 10 meters of synthetic fabric is given by
x 0 1 2 3 4
f(x) 0.41 0.37 0.16 0.05 0.01

(a) Plot the probability function.

(b) Find the expected number of imperfections, E(X) = μ.
(c) Find E(X2).
(d) Find the variance and standard deviation of the number of imperfections.

11.If a random variable X is defined such that E[(X − 1)2] = 10 and E[(X − 2)2] = 6, find μ and
σ2 .

PHM111s - Probability and Statistics