MATH2411: Applied Statistics

Exercise: (Parameter Estimation)

1. The tar contents of 8 brands of cigarettes selected at random from the latest list released by the Federal
Trade Commission are as follows:7.3, 8.6, 10.4, 16.1, 12.2, 15.1, 14.5, and 9.3 milligrams. Calculate
a) the mean;
b) the variance.
2. The grade-point average of 20 college seniors selected at random from a graduating class are as follows:
3.2, 1.9, 2.7, 2.4, 2.8, 2.9, 3.8, 3.0, 2.5, 3.3, 1.8, 2.5, 3.7, 2.8, 2.0, 3.2, 2.3, 2.1, 2.5, 1.9.
Calculate the standard deviation.
3. If all possible samples of size 16 are drawn from a normal population with mean equal to 50 and standard deviation equal to 5, what is the probability that a sample mean X will fall in the interval from
X 1.9X to X 0.4X , where X and X are the mean and standard deviation of X, respectively?
Assume that the sample means can be measured to any degree of accuracy.
4. A certain type of thread is manufactured with a mean tensile strength of 78.3 kilograms and a standard
deviation of 5.6 kilograms. How is the standard deviation of the sample mean changed when the sample
size is
a) increased from 64 to 196?
b) decreased from 784 to 49?
5. The random variable X, representing the number of cherries in a cherry pu, has the following probability distribution:
x:
4
5
6
7

p(X=x)
0.2
0.4
0.3
0.1
a) Find the mean and the variance 2 of X.
2
b) Find the mean X and the variance X
of the mean X for random samples of 36 cherry pus.
c) Find the probability that the average number of cherries in 36 cherry pus will be less than 5.5.
6. If a certain machine makes electrical resistors having a mean resistance of 40 ohms and a standard
deviation of 2 ohms, what is the probability that a random sample of 36 of these resistors will have a
total resistance of more than 1458 ohms?
7. The amount of time that a drive-through bank teller spends on a customer is a random variable with a
mean = 3.2 minutes and a standard deviation = 1.6 minutes. If a random sample of 64 customers
is observed, nd the probability that their mean time at the tellers counter is
a) at most 2.7 minutes;
b) more than 3.5 minutes;
c) at least 3.2 minutes but less than 3.4 minutes.
8. For a chi-squared distribution nd the following:
a) 20.005 when = 5;
1

b) 20.05 when = 19;

c) 20.01 when = 12.
9. For a chi-squared distribution nd 2 such that
a) P (X 2 > 2 ) = 0.99 when = 4;
b) P (X 2 > 2 ) = 0.025 when = 19;
c) P (37.652 < X 2 < 2 ) = 0.045 when = 25.
10. a) Find P (T < 2.365) when = 7.
b) Find P (T > 1.318) when = 24.
c) Find P (1.356 < T < 2.179) when = 12.
d) Find P (T > 2.567) when = 17.
11. Given a random sample of size 24 from a normal distribution, nd k such that
a) P (2.069 < Tn1 < k) = 0.965;
b) P (k < Tn1 < 2.807) = 0.095;
c) P (k < Tn1 < k) = 0.90;
12. An electrical rm manufactures light bulbs that have a length of life that is normally distributed with
a standard deviation of 40 hours. If a sample of 30 bulbs has an average life of 780 hours, nd a 96%
condence interval for the population mean of all bulbs produced by this rm.
13. Many cardiac patients wear implanted pacemakers to control their heartbeat. A plastic connector
module mounts on the top of the pacemaker. Assuming a standard deviation of 0.0015 and a normal
distribution,
a) nd a 95% condence interval for the mean of all connector modules made by a certain manufacturing company, if a random sample of 75 modules are collected and has an average of 0.310 inch.
b) how large a sample is needed if we wish to be 95% condent that our sample mean will be within
0.0005 inch of the true mean?
14. Regular consumption of pre-sweetened cereals contributes to tooth decay, heart disease, and other
degenerative disease according to studies conducted by Dr.W.H.Bowen of the National Institutes of
Health and Dr.J.Yudben, Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of London. In a random sample of 20 similar single serving of Alpha-Bits, the average sugar content was 11.3 grams with
a standard deviation of 2.45 grams. Assuming that the sugar contents are normally distributed, construct a 95% condence interval for the mean sugar content for single servings of Alpha-Bits.
15. A machine is producing metal pieces that are cylindrical in shape. A sample of pieces is taken and the
diameters are 1.01, 0.97, 1.03, 1.04, 0.99, 0.98, 0.99, 1.01, and 1.03 centimeters. Find a 99% condence
interval for the mean diameter of pieces from this machine, assuming a normal distribution.
16. A random sample of size n1 = 25 taken from a normal population with a standard deviation 1 = 5
has a mean x1 = 80. A second random sample of size n2 = 36, taken from a dierent normal population with a standard deviation 2 = 3, has a mean x2 = 75. Find a 94% condence int4erval for 1 2 .

17. Two kinds of thread are being compared for strength. Fifty pieces of each type of thread are tested
under similar conditions. Brand A had an average tensile strength of 78.3 kilograms with a population
standard deviation of 5.6 kilograms, while brand B had an average tensile strength of 87.2 kilograms
with a population standard deviation of 6.3 kilograms. Construct a 95% condence interval for the
dierence of the population means.
18. Students may choose between a 3-semester-hour course in physics without labs and a 4-semester-hour
course with labs. The nal written examination is the same for each section. If 24 students in the
section with labs made an average examination grade of 84 with a standard deviation of 4, and 36
students in the section without labs made an average grade of 77 with a standard deviation of 6, nd
a 99% condence interval for the dierence between the average grades for the two courses. Assume
the populations to be normally distributed with equal variances.
19. A manufacturer of car batteries claims that his batteries will last, on average, 3 years with a variance
of 1 year. If 5 of this batteries have lifetimes of 1.9, 2.4, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.2 years, construct a 95%
condence interval for 2 and decide if the manufacturers claim that 2 = 1 is valid. Assume the
population of battery lives to be normally distributed.
20. A random sample of 20 students obtained a mean of x = 72 and a variance of s2n1 = 16 on a college
placement test in mathematics. Assuming the scores to be normally distributed, construct a 98%
condence interval for 2 .