Chapter 2

Verify that the following functions are probability mass functions, and determine the
requested probabilities.
1.

a)
b)
c)
d)
Solution:
- All probabilities are greater than or equal to zero and sum to one.
a) = 1/8 + 2/8 + 2/8 + 2/8 + 1/8 = 1
b) = 2/8 + 2/8 + 2/8 + 1/8 = 7/8
c) = 2/8 + 2/8 + 2/8 =6/8 = 3/4
d) = 1/8 + 2/8 +1/8 = 4/8 =1/2

2.

, x = 0,1,2,3,4
a)
b)
c)
d)
Solution:
- Probabilities are nonnegative and sum to one
a) = 9/25
b) = 1/25 + 3/25 = 4/25
c) = 5/25 + 7/25 = 12/25
d) = 1









3. The thickness of wood panelling (in inches) that a customer orders is a random
variable with the following cumulative distribution function:

Determine the following probabilities
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Solution:
- The sum of the probabilities is 1 and all probabilities are greater than or equal to zero.
- P.m.f: f (1/8) = 0.2, f (1/4) = 0.7, f (3/8) = 0.1
a) = 0
b) = 0.9
c) = 0.9
d) = 0.1
e) = 1

4. Suppose that

Determine the following probabilities:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e) Determine x, such that
Solution:


5. Suppose the cumulative distribution function of the random variable X is:

Determine the following:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Solution:

6. Suppose the probability density function of the length of computer cables is f(x) = 0.1
from 1200 to 1210 millimetres.
a) Determine the mean and standard deviation of the cable length.
b) If the length specications are 1195 < x < 1205 millimetres, what proportion of
cables are within specications?
Solution:






7. From a box containing 4 black balls and 2 green balls, 3 balls are drawn in
succession, each ball being replaced in the box before the next draw is made. Find
the probability distribution for the number of green balls.
Solution:
Denote by X the number of green balls in the three draws. Let G and B stand for the colors of
green and black, respectively.

The probability mass function for X is then:

8. Suppose a special type of small data processing firm is so specialized that some have
difficulty making a profit in their first year of operation. The p.d.f that characterizes
the proportion Y that make a profit is given by:

and
a) What is the value of k that renders the above a valid density function?
b) Find the probability that at most 50% of the firms make a profit in the first
year.
c) Find the probability that at least 80% of the firms make a profit in the first
year.

Solution:
a) Using integral by parts and setting

we obtain k = 280.
b) For

So,
c) Using C.d.f in (b),