AS/A Level Mathematics

Using the Normal Distribution to approximate the Binomial Distribution

1. Given that the condition of the binomial distribution is can be written as 𝑋~𝐵(30, 0.4).
Use the normal distribution to calculate an approximation for 𝑃(𝑋 < 8). [3]

2. We’ve all had those annoying cell phone calls from Heather, Daisy or Oscar, trying to sell life
insurance or an additional car warranty. First Orion, a call protection agency recently issued a
report that suggested 45% of all cell phone calls in 2019 will be spam. Suppose 500 cell phone
calls are selected at random. Use the normal approximation to the binomial distribution to
answer the following questions.
(a) Find the probability that at least 240 of the cell phone calls will be spam. [3]

(b) Find the probability that at exactly 245 of the cell phone calls will be spam. [3]

3. Despite the fact that a majority of accidents happen in one’s home, only 44% of Americans
have a first-aid kit in their homes. Suppose a random sample of 300 American homes is
obtained. Answer each problem using the normal approximation to the binomial distribution.
(a) Find the probability that fewer than 125 homes have first-aid kits. [3]

(b) Find the probability that more than 145 homes have first-aid kits. [3]

(c) Find the probability that exactly 130 homes have first-aid kits. [3]
4. It is known that 2% of the cheapest memory sticks on the market are defective.
(a) In a random sample of 400 of these memory sticks, find approximately the probability that
at least five but at most 11 are defective. [4]

(b) Ten samples or 400 memory sticks are tested.

Find an approximate value for the probability that there are fewer than 12 defective
memory sticks in more than seven of the samples. [4]

5. Boxes containing 24 floor tiles are loaded into vans for distribution. In a load of 80 boxes there
are, on average, three damaged floor tiles. Find, approximately, the probability that:
(a) There are more than 65 damaged tiles in a load of 1600 boxes. [3]

(b) In five loads, each containing 1600 boxes, exactly three loads contain more than 65
damaged tiles. [4]