ASSIGNMENT MATHEMATICS (M) 950/4 SEMESTER 2 2023

TITLE: Binomial Distribution Calculation

INTRODUCTION
The binomial distribution is a probability distribution that models the number of successes in
a fixed number of independent Bernoulli trials. It is widely used in various fields, including
statistics, mathematics, and engineering, to analyse and predict outcomes in situations where
there are only two possible outcomes, often referred to as "success" or "failure."

The binomial distribution is characterized by two parameters: the number of trials (n) and
the probability of success in each trial (p). Using these parameters, we can calculate the
probability of obtaining a specific number of successes in the given number of trials.

A normal distribution is a type of continuous probability distribution in which most data

points cluster toward the middle of the range, while the rest taper off symmetrically toward
either extreme. The middle of the range is also known as the mean of the distribution.

If X is random variable binomial distributed with n,number of trials and p,the probability of
success, then we can find mean, μ=np and standard deviation, σ =√ npq . It is very
complicated to use binomial formula to calculate the probability with large number of n. It
turns out that if n is sufficiently large then we can actually use the normal distribution to
approximate the probabilities related to the binomial distribution. This is known as the
normal approximation to the binomial. To said that n is large, we have to fulfil some criteria
so that the normal approximation is appropriate.

Before using the normal approximation, a correction for continuity must be carried out
because a continuous distribution is used as an approximation for a discrete distribution. In
general, we will add or subtract 0.5 to a given discrete x-value based on the condition.

The purpose of this assignment is to explore the definition and formula of Binomial
distribution and use the criteria of Binomial distribution to find the probabilities. Examination
on the conditions that needed to use a normal approximation to the Binomial distribution is
made and the exact probabilities of the Binomial distribution are the compare to the
approximated value of the Normal distribution.
METHODOLOGY

A group of 50 students from upper six were selected, and out of these 50 students, 9 were
left-handed. A random number generator online was used to choose a sample of 20 students
from this group of 50.

https://www.calculator.net/random-number-generator.html

The experiment was repeated 10 times, and the number of left-handed students obtained in
each trial was recorded in a table. We will determine if the outcomes of each trial satisfy a
binomial distribution.

To analyse the data, we arrange the left-handed proportions in ascending order. This allows
us to calculate the mean, mode, and median of the left-handed proportions and determine the
skewness of the distribution. Based on the skewness, we identify the appropriate
measurement and determine the proportion of left-handed students.

For a given sample of 30 students, we can calculate the probability of:

a) exactly 5 students being left-handed,

b) less than 10 students being left-handed, and
c) between 4 and 10 students being left-handed.

These probabilities can be calculated using the Microsoft Excel function BINOM.DIST(X,
trials, p, FALSE).

We can approximate a binomial distribution by a normal distribution under certain

conditions. We will determine if the experiment described above is applicable in this case or
not.

Since the experiment is continuous, we will calculate the probabilities using normal
approximation for X B(300 , 0.40). The mean ( μ) and standard deviation (σ ) of X can be
calculated using the formulas: μ=np and σ =√ np(1−p) .

To achieve a better approximation, we will apply continuity correction factors by adding or

subtracting 0.5 to discrete X-values. By standardizing the random variable X to a standard
( X −μ)
normal variable Z using the formula Z= , we can obtain the probabilities using a
σ
calculator such as the fx-570ES or the Microsoft Excel function NORM.DIST(X).
We will calculate the probabilities for the following cases:

a) P(X = 136)
b) P(99 < X < 125)
c) P(X > 155)
d) P(X < 100) and
e) P(X = 110)

After obtaining the probabilities using the above methods, we will recalculate them using
Microsoft Excel and compare the results. Any differences will be converted to percentages,
and comments will be given on the results.
RESULT
Q1(a)

In probability theory and statistics, the binomial distribution with parameters n and p is the
discrete probability distribution of the number of successes in sequence of n independent
experiments, each with its own outcome: success (with probability p) or failure (with
probability q=1− p ¿ . The outcome of this experiment is success to obtain left-handed or
failure. This experiment also has a fixed number of trials which is 20 students. Each trial is an
independent event. The first trial will not affect the following trial. Therefore, this experiment
is satisfied a binomial distribution.

Q1(b)

The result of 10 times experiment is recorded in the table below.

Set 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Numbe 6 2 3 4 2 2 4 3 2 2
r of
left-
handed

The number of left-handed is arranging in ascending order

 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 6
The probability of number of left-handed

Mean = ∑ x = 30 =3.00 Proportion mean 30

=0.15
n 10 200
=
Mode = 2.00 Proportion mode 0.10
=
Median 5th+6 th 2+3 Proportion median 0.10+0.15
= =2.50 =0.125
2 2 2
= =

Since mean > mode, thus the distribution is skewed to right. Median is more appropriates to
measure. Hence, the proportion of left-handed is 0.125. Besides, in the real data, there are 9
9
left-handed out of 50 students with probability, =0.18. The proportion 0.125 is
50
approximately to 0.18.

Q1(c)

Let X = number of students that are left-handed

For a sample of 30 students, n=30 , p=0.125 , q=0.875

X B(30 , 0.125)

(i) ( )
P ( X=5 )= 30 ( 0.125 ) ( 0.875 )
5
5 25

¿ 0.154378

(ii)
P ( X <10 ) =P ( X=0 )+ P ( X =1 ) + P ( X=2 )+ P ( X =3 ) + P ( X=4 )+ P ( X=5 ) + P ( X =6 ) + P ( X=7 ) + P ( X=8 )+ P

¿ 0.018207+ 0.078031+ 0.161635+0.215513+ 0.207816+0.154378+0.091891+ 0.45008+0.018485

¿ 0.99742

(iii) P ( 4 < X <10 )=P ( X=5 )+ P ( X =6 ) + P ( X =7 ) + P ( X =8 ) + P ( X=9 )

¿ 0.154378+ 0.091891+ 0.045008+0.018485+0.006455
¿ 0.316218
Q2
If X is random variable binomial distributed with n,number of trials and p,the probability of
success. It is very complicated to use binomial formula to calculate the probability with large
number of n . It turns out that if n is sufficiently large then we can actually use the normal
distribution to approximate the probabilities related to the binomial distribution. This is
known as the normal approximation to the binomial.

Condition:
1. the number of independent trials n are large, n>30 and;
2. the probability of success or failure must be close to 0.5
3. Alternative, if np ≥ 5 and nq ≥ 5, then the probability of success or failure condition can be
disregarded.

In part 1, n=20<30 and p=0.125 which is not close to 0.5. Besides, np=20 ×0.125=2.5<5
and nq=20 ×0.875=17.5>5 . Since np< 5, thus normal distribution approximation binomial
distribution is not applicable for part 1.

Q3

X N (120 , 72)

a) P ( X ≥136 ) ¿ P ( X >135.5 ) (Continuity correction)

135.5−120
¿ P(Z> )
√72
¿ P(Z> 1.827)
¿ 1−P(Z <1.827)
¿ 1−Φ (1.827)
¿ 1−0.96615
¿ 0.0338 5

b) P ( 99< X ≤ 125 ) ¿ P ( 99.5< X < 125.5 ) (Continuity correction)

¿ P ( X <125.5 ) −P ( X <99.5 )

(
¿ P Z<
125.5−120
√72 ) (−P Z<
99.5−120
√ 72 )
¿ P ( Z <0.648 )−P(Z ←2.416)
 ¿ Φ ( 0.648 )−[ 1−Φ (2.416) ]
¿ 0.74151− ( 1−0.99215 )
¿ 0.73366
c) P ( X >155 ) ¿ P ( X >155.5 ) (Continuity correction)
¿ 1−P ( X <155.5 )
155.5−120
¿ 1−P( Z < )
√72
=1−P ( Z< 4.184 )
¿ 1−Φ (4.184)
¿ 1−0.99999
¿ 0.00001

d) P ( X <100 ) ¿ P ( X <99.5 )(Continuity correction)

(
¿ P Z<
99.5−120
√72 )
¿ P ( Z ←2.416 )
¿ 1−Φ ( 2.416 )
¿ 1−0.99215
¿ 0.00785

e) P ( X=110 ) ¿ P(109.5< X <110.5) (Continuity correction)

¿ P ( X <110.5 )−P ( X <109.5 )
¿P
( 109.5−120
√ 72
<Z<
110.5−120
√ 72 )
¿ P(−1.237< Z ←1.12)
¿ P ( Z ←1.12 )−P(Z ←1.237)
¿ Φ ( 1.237 )−Φ(1.12)
¿ 0.89196−0.86864
¿ 0.23 32

Q4

Given X B(300 , 0.40)

n = 300
p = 0.4
By using the Microsoft Excel with the formula BINOM.DIST and NORM.DIST, the
probabilities above can be obtained as below:
Number Number Binomial Normal Differences %
_s1 _s2 Distribution Approximation
(a) P( X ≥ 360) 136 300 0.034467328 0.033873007 0.000594321 0.059
(b) P(99< X <125) 100 125 0.734905496 0.733718978 0.001186519 0.119
(c) P( X> 155) 156 300 0.00001742687 0.0000143392 0.00000308769 0
(d) P( X< 100) 0 99 0.007364846 0.007847148 -0.000482302 -
 0.048
(e) P( X=110) 110 110 0.0236773 0.023482699 0.000194602 0.019
Q5
When the probabilities obtained by computer software compare to the probabilities obtained
by normal approximation, it is found that, both values almost the same. The percentage of the
difference shown extreme small values. This show that, beside using normal approximation,
we also can use computer software to calculate probabilities for large values of n.

Generally, the Binomial probabilities are calculated by using a very straight forward
formula to find the binomial coefficient. Unfortunately, due to the factorials in the formula,
be very easy to run into computational difficulties with the binomial formula due to many
times the determination of a probability that a binomial random variable falls within a range
of values is tedious to calculate.

The normal approximation allows us to bypass any of these problems by working with a
table of values of a standard normal distribution.

The above finding shows the difference between the probabilities of Binomial distribution
and Normal distribution is extremely small. It can be said that appropriate normal distribution
do a fairly good job of estimating binomial probabilities.
CONCLUTION

Binomial distribution is a common probability distribution that models the probability of

obtaining one of two outcomes under a given number of parameters n, there are only two
mutually exclusive outcomes, i.e., success or failure. The probability of getting a success, p
must remain the same for the investigated trials. The process under investigation must have a
fixed number of trials that cannot be altered in the course of the analysis. During the analysis,
each trial must be performed in a uniform manner, although each trial may yield a different
outcome. The other condition of a binomial probability is that the trials are independent of
each other.

However, calculating probabilities using binomial formula for sufficiently large values of n
is cumbersome. The normal distribution can be used as an approximation to the binomial
distribution, if X B(n , p) and n is large and/or p is close to ½, where np ≥ 5 and n(1− p)≥ 5,
then X is approximately X N (np ,np (1− p)). When the normal approximation is used to
approximate a discrete distribution, a continuity correction can be employed by adding or
subtracting 0.5 to a discrete x-value, so that we can approximate the probability of a specific
value of the discrete distribution.

Besides that, computer software also can be used to calculate binomial probabilities for
large values of n easily such as Microsoft excel. Now a day, a lot of technology tools were
developed for calculating binomial probabilities for sufficiently large values of n. It is not
necessary to use the normal approximation to the binomial distribution, provided that you
have access to this technology tools.
Attachment
Data of 50 students collected as table below:
REFERENCES
Chin Siew Hui, Khoo Ee Sin, Khor Seng Chye STPM Text Mathematics (M) Term 2,
Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn.Bhd 2014
https://stattrek.com/probability-distributions/binomial
https://www.calculator.net/random-number-generator.html

https://www.statisticshowto.com/probability-and-statistics/binomial-theorem/binomial-
distribution-formula/
https://byjus.com/maths/binomial-distribution/
https://www.statology.org/normal-approximation/