Chapter 3:Probability Distributions
• Discrete data can only take certain values: e.g. number of students in class (you can’t have a half
student)
• Continuous data can take any value within the range: a person’s height (it can be any value within the
range of human height not just a certain fixed height)
Discrete X 1 2 3 4
P(X) 0.01 0.5 0.25 0.24
;
∴ 𝜎 =0.8376
X 1 2 3 4
P(X) 0.01 0.5 0.25 0.24
X 0 1 2 3 4
P(X) 0.05 0.3 0.15 0.24 0.26
Calculate the mean, variance and the standard deviation
∴ 𝜎 =1.2847
An appliance dealer calculated the proportion of new dishwashers sold which required various numbers of
service calls to correct problems during the warranty period. The records show:
Number of service calls 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0.15 0.16 0.2 ? 0.15 0.1 0.06
What is the probability that there will more than 4 service calls?
What is the probability that there will be at least two service calls, but less than 6?
Binomial Distribution
n = repetitions of an action
x = 0…….n
p = probability of success
q = 1 – p
Mean : np
Variance : npq
The binomial random variable X has parameters p = 0,3 and n = 17. Determine the mean, variance, standard deviation
and P(X = 4).
𝜇=𝑛𝑝=( 17 ) ( 0.3 )
2
𝜎 =𝑛𝑝𝑞=( 17 )( 0.3 )( 0.7 ) ∴ 𝜎= √ 𝜎 2
=1.8894
Team A has probability 0.77 of winning whenever it plays. Let X be binomially distributed and denote number of
that the team wins. If team A plays 5 games find:
E(X) and Var(X)
P(X = 2)
𝑃 ( 𝑋 ≤ 3)
P(X > 4)
Based on the data collected by the National Centre for health Statistics and made available to the public in the
Sample Adult database, it was found that the percentage of adults who have at some point in their life been
told that they have hypertension was 25%. Suppose that a random sample of 15 adults is taken:
Calculate the probability that exactly 8 have been told that they have hypertension
Calculate the probability that 14 adults have not been told that they have hypertension.
668
Sunshine Nursery plants 9 seeds in a seed tray. Each seed has a 65% germination rate.
𝑛=9 ; 𝑝= 0.65 ; 𝑞=0.35
Calculate the expected number of seeds that would not germinate.
𝑛𝑞=9× 0.35=3
What is the probability that more than 7 seeds will germinate?
What is the probability that exactly 5 seeds will not geminate?
Five percent of children are left-handed. If a sample of 16 children is randomly selected.
What is the probability that 25% of these children are left-handed?
𝑥=0.25 × 16=4
What is the probability that 75% of these children are not left-handed?
12
At ABC Bank, past data show that 67% of all credit card holders do not default on payment. On one recent day, this bank
issued 6 credit cards to new customers. Find the probability that of these 6 customers
Less than 3 will not default on payment.
At least 2 will not default
𝑛=6 𝑝=0.67 𝑞=1− 0.67=0.33
At ABC Bank, past data show that 85% of all credit card holders do not default on payment. On one recent day, this
bank issued 12 credit cards to new customers. Find the probability that
5 customers will not default.
More than 9 customers will not default on payment.
3 customers will default.
n = 12 p = 0.85 q = 1-0.85 = 0.15
Poisson distribution
Suppose the number of deaths attributable to typhoid fever over a year is Poisson
distributed with the average of 4.6.
Calculate the probability that there will be 3 deaths in a year.
Calculate the probability of more than 2 deaths 2 years
𝜆=4.6 ×2=9.2
Calculate the probability of at least 2 deaths in 6 months
4.6
𝜆= =2.3
2
Suppose that on average 6 births occur at Hospital A on a given day.
𝜆=6
What is the probability that on a given day hospital A will register no birth?
Calculate the probability that Hospital A will register at least 2 births in half a day
6
𝜆= = 3
2
A botanist is studying the distribution of daisies in a field. The field is divided into a number of equal sized
squares. The number of daisies per square has a Poisson distribution with an average of 3 per square. The daisies
are distributed randomly throughout the field.
𝜆=3
What is the probability that in a randomly selected square there will be more than 2 daisies?
4231
5768
Calculate the probability that in a randomly selected square there will be 5 or 6 daisies
1512
Normal Distribution
Parameter ;
For a standard normal:
Rules:
Find:
P(x < 1.42)
P(x > 1.23)
P(x > -0.73)
P(x <- 1.42)
P(0 < x < 1.42)
Standard normal probabilities
z .00 .01 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09
0.0 .5000 .5040 .5080 .5120 .5160 .5199 .5239 .5279 .5319 .5359
0.1 .5398 .5438 .5478 .5517 .5557 .5596 .5636 .5675 .5714 .5753
0.2 .5793 .5832 .5871 .5910 .5948 .5987 .6026 .6064 .6103 .6141
0.3 .6179 .6217 .6255 .6293 .6331 .6368 .6406 .6443 .6480 .6517
0.4 .6554 .6591 .6628 .6664 .6700 .6736 .6772 .6808 .6844 .6879
0.5 .6915 .6950 .6985 .7019 .7054 .7088 .7123 .7157 .7190 .7224
0.6 .7257 .7291 .7324 .7357 .7389 .7422 .7454 .7486 .7517 .7549
0.7 .7580 .7611 .7642 .7673 .7704 .7734 .7764 .7794 .7823 .7852
0.8 .7881 .7910 .7939 .7967 .7995 .8023 .8051 .8078 .8106 .8133
0.9 .8159 .8186 .8212 .8238 .8264 .8289 .8315 .8340 .8365 .8389
1.0 .8413 .8438 .8461 .8485 .8508 .8531 .8554 .8577 .8599 .8621
1.1 .8643 .8665 .8686 .8708 .8729 .8749 .8770 .8790 .8810 .8830
1.2 .8849 .8869 .8888 .8907 .8925 .8944 .8962 .8980 .8997 .9015
1.3 .9032 .9049 .9066 .9082 .9099 .9115 .9131 .9147 .9162 9177
1.4 .9192 .9207 .9222 .9236 .9251 .9265 .9279 .9292 .9306 .9319
1.5 .9332 .9345 .9357 .9370 .9382 .9394 .9406 .9418 .9429 .9441
1.6 .9452 .9463 .9474 .9484 .9495 .9505 .9515 .9525 .9535 .9545
1.7 .9554 .9564 .9573 .9582 .9591 .9599 .9608 .9616 .9625 .9633
1.8 .9641 .9649 .9656 .9664 .9671 .9678 .9686 .9693 .9699 .9706
1.9 .9713 .9719 .9726 .9732 .9738 .9744 .9750 .9756 .9761 .9767
Given
Calculate the probabilities that X is:
Less than 120
More than 120
Between 120 and 130
Suppose that a weight of certain species of 155 horses is normally distributed with mean 273 kg and
variance 400 kg.
or
Find:
The probability that selected horse will weigh less than 330 kg
The probability that selected horse will weigh between 229 kg and 291 kg
Find the percentage of horses that will weigh 215 and 237 kg
Find the number of horses that will weigh more than 285 kg
Standard normal probabilities
z .00 .01 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09
0.5 .6915 .6950 .6985 .7019 .7054 .7088 .7123 .7157 .7190 .7224
0.6 .7257 .7291 .7324 .7357 .7389 .7422 .7454 .7486 .7517 .7549
0.7 .7580 .7611 .7642 .7673 .7704 .7734 .7764 .7794 .7823 .7852
0.8 .7881 .7910 .7939 .7967 .7995 .8023 .8051 .8078 .8106 .8133
0.9 .8159 .8186 .8212 .8238 .8264 .8289 .8315 .8340 .8365 .8389
1.0 .8413 .8438 .8461 .8485 .8508 .8531 .8554 .8577 .8599 .8621
1.1 .8643 .8665 .8686 .8708 .8729 .8749 .8770 .8790 .8810 .8830
1.2 .8849 .8869 .8888 .8907 .8925 .8944 .8962 .8980 .8997 .9015
1.3 .9032 .9049 .9066 .9082 .9099 .9115 .9131 .9147 .9162 9177
1.4 .9192 .9207 .9222 .9236 .9251 .9265 .9279 .9292 .9306 .9319
1.5 .9332 .9345 .9357 .9370 .9382 .9394 .9406 .9418 .9429 .9441
1.6 .9452 .9463 .9474 .9484 .9495 .9505 .9515 .9525 .9535 .9545
1.7 .9554 .9564 .9573 .9582 .9591 .9599 .9608 .9616 .9625 .9633
1.8 .9641 .9649 .9656 .9664 .9671 .9678 .9686 .9693 .9699 .9706
1.9 .9713 .9719 .9726 .9732 .9738 .9744 .9750 .9756 .9761 .9767
2.0 .9772 .9778 .9783 .9788 .9793 .9798 .9803 .9808 .9812 .9817
2.1 .9821 .9826 .9830 .9834 .9838 .9842 .9846 .9850 .9854 .9857
2.2 .9861 .9864 .9868 .9871 .9875 .9878 .9881 .9884 .9887 .9890
2.3 .9893 .9896 .9898 .9901 .9904 .9906 .9909 .9911 .9913 .9916
2.4 .9918 .9920 .9922 .9925 .9927 .9929 .9931 .9932 .9934 .9936
2.5 .9938 .9940 .9941 .9943 .9945 .9946 .9948 .9949 .9951 .9952
2.6 .9953 .9955 .9956 .9957 .9959 .9960 .9961 .9962 .9963 .9964
2.7 .9965 .9966 .9967 .9968 .9969 .9970 .9971 .9972 .9973 .9974
2.8 .9974 .9975 .9976 .9977 .9977 .9978 .9979 .9979 .9980 .9981
2.9 .9981 .9982 .9982 .9983 .9984 .9984 .9985 .9985 .9986 .9986
The quantitative portion of a nationally administered achievement test is scaled so that the mean is 500 and the
standard deviation is 100. If we assume that the distribution of scores is normal, what is the probability that the
students will score between 500 and 682
If 1500 students are selected, how many will score less than 682?
For a standard normal, find the value of
Standard normal probabilities
z .00 .01 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09
0.5 .6915 .6950 .6985 .7019 .7054 .7088 .7123 .7157 .7190 .7224
0.6 .7257 .7291 .7324 .7357 .7389 .7422 .7454 .7486 .7517 .7549
0.7 .7580 .7611 .7642 .7673 .7704 .7734 .7764 .7794 .7823 .7852
0.8 .7881 .7910 .7939 .7967 .7995 .8023 .8051 .8078 .8106 .8133
0.9 .8159 .8186 .8212 .8238 .8264 .8289 .8315 .8340 .8365 .8389
1.0 .8413 .8438 .8461 .8485 .8508 .8531 .8554 .8577 .8599 .8621
1.1 .8643 .8665 .8686 .8708 .8729 .8749 .8770 .8790 .8810 .8830
1.2 .8849 .8869 .8888 .8907 .8925 .8944 .8962 .8980 .8997 .9015
1.3 .9032 .9049 .9066 .9082 .9099 .9115 .9131 .9147 .9162 9177
1.4 .9192 .9207 .9222 .9236 .9251 .9265 .9279 .9292 .9306 .9319
1.5 .9332 .9345 .9357 .9370 .9382 .9394 .9406 .9418 .9429 .9441
1.6 .9452 .9463 .9474 .9484 .9495 .9505 .9515 .9525 .9535 .9545
1.7 .9554 .9564 .9573 .9582 .9591 .9599 .9608 .9616 .9625 .9633
1.8 .9641 .9649 .9656 .9664 .9671 .9678 .9686 .9693 .9699 .9706
1.9 .9713 .9719 .9726 .9732 .9738 .9744 .9750 .9756 .9761 .9767
2.0 .9772 .9778 .9783 .9788 .9793 .9798 .9803 .9808 .9812 .9817
2.1 .9821 .9826 .9830 .9834 .9838 .9842 .9846 .9850 .9854 .9857
2.2 .9861 .9864 .9868 .9871 .9875 .9878 .9881 .9884 .9887 .9890
2.3 .9893 .9896 .9898 .9901 .9904 .9906 .9909 .9911 .9913 .9916
2.4 .9918 .9920 .9922 .9925 .9927 .9929 .9931 .9932 .9934 .9936
2.5 .9938 .9940 .9941 .9943 .9945 .9946 .9948 .9949 .9951 .9952
2.6 .9953 .9955 .9956 .9957 .9959 .9960 .9961 .9962 .9963 .9964
2.7 .9965 .9966 .9967 .9968 .9969 .9970 .9971 .9972 .9973 .9974
2.8 .9974 .9975 .9976 .9977 .9977 .9978 .9979 .9979 .9980 .9981
2.9 .9981 .9982 .9982 .9983 .9984 .9984 .9985 .9985 .9986 .9986
The quantitative portion of a nationally administered achievement test is normally distributed with the mean of
500 and the standard deviation is 100. Calculate the value of if the probability of students scoring less than is
0.9656
X ~ N(μ, 49), find
X ~ N(μ, 25), P(X < 6) = 0.8686. Find μ
4
Normal Approximation to Binomial np ≥ 5 nq ≥ 5
PB(X K) = PN(X K ½)
PB(X > K) = PN(X K +½)
PB(X K) = PN(X K +½)
PB(X < K) = PN(X K ½)
PB(X = K) = PN(K ½ X K +½)
1
𝑝=
6 𝜇=𝑛𝑝 =120 n = 720; 2
𝜎 =𝑛𝑝 ( 1− 𝑝 )=100
𝑃 ( 𝑋 <110 ) = 𝑃 ( 𝑋<
109.5 − 120
10 )
¿𝑃 ( 𝑧<−1.05 )
In a particular hospital, 60% of the staff is male and 40% female. A random sample of 50 staff members.
𝑛=50 𝜇 𝑚=30 𝜇 𝐹 =20 2
𝜎 =12
What is the probability that more than half will be male?
What is the probability that at least half will be female?
Sixty two percent of 12th graders attend school in a particular urban district. If a sample of 500 12th grade
children is selected
Find the probability that at least 290 are actually enrolled in the school
2
𝑛=500 ; 𝑝= 0.62; 𝑞=0.38 ; 𝜇= 𝑛𝑝=310 ; 𝜎 =𝑛𝑝𝑞 =117.8
Find the probability that at less 312 are actually enrolled in the school
