#5 Due 10/8/04

1. The total number of hours measured in units of 100 hours that a family runs a
vacuum cleaner over a period of one year is a continuous random variable with
probability density function

 x 0< x <1

f ( x )= 2 − x 1< x < 2
 0
 elsewhere

A. What is the cumulative distribution function of X?

For 0 < x < 1

x x2
F(x) = ∫0
tdt =
2
F o r 1 <x < 2
x
1 x 1 t2
F(x) = ∫ tdt + ∫
0 1
(2 − t)dt = + (2t − )
2 2 1
1 x2 3
= + x− −
2 2 2
Thus
 0 x<0
 x2
 0< x <1
 2
F ( x )=  2
−1+ x − x 1< x < 2
 2
 1 x>2

B. What is the probability that over the course of a year a family runs the vacuum
cleaner
(1)
(2) less than 60 hours?

(.6)2
F(.6) = = .18
2

(3) between 60 hours and 120 hours?

 (1.2)2
F(1.2) − F(.6) = −1+ 1.2 − − .18 = .3
2

C.Find the mean, median and the variance of random variable X?

1 2
EX = ∫0 x2 dx + ∫1 x ( 2− x)dx= 1
1 2 7
EX2 = ∫ x 3dx + ∫ x2 (2 − x)dx=
0 1 6
1
σ2 =
6
Median = 1 by symmetry

2. The waiting time x in hours between successive speeders spotted by a radar

trap is a continuous random variable with cumulative distribution

 0 x≤0
F ( x )= 
1− e
−8x
x>0
A.What is the probability density function?

f ( x )= 8e −8x , x> 0

B. What is the probability that

(1) the waiting time between speeders is less than 12 minutes?

F(.2) = 1− e −8(.2) = .798

(2) the waiting time between speeders is at least 10 minutes.

1− F( 16 ) = e −8 / 6 = .264

C. Find the mean waiting time between speeders.

 ∞ A A
EX = ∫ 8xe −8x dx = lim −xe −8x + ∫ e −8x dx
0 A→ ∞ 0 0
A
A 1 1
= lim −xe −8x − e −8x = hr
A→ ∞ 0 8 0
8
u=x
du = dx
dv = 8e−8x dx
v = −e −8x