Problems on Exponential distribution

1. The life expectancy (in years) of a component in a microcomputer is an expo-

nential random variable. Third of the components fail in the first 3 years. The
company that manufactures the component offers a 1 year warranty. What is
the probability that a component will fail during the warranty period?

2. A transistor has an exponential time-to-failure distribution with a mean time

ti failure of 20000 hours. The transistor has already lasted 20000 hours in a
particular application. What is the probability that the transistor fails by 30000
hours?

3. The lifetime X of an electronic component has an exponential distribution such

that P r(X ≤ 1000) = 0.75. What is the expected lifetime of the component?

4. The time (in minutes) it takes adult to memorize a sequence of random digits is
an exponential random variable. The average (mean) time is 2 minutes. What
is the probability that it takes an adult over five minutes to memorize the digits?

5. The time between failures of a photo copier is an exponentially distributed

random variable. Half the copiers require service during the first 2 years of
operations. What is the probability that a copier requires service during the
first year of operation?

6. Let X denote the time between two successive arrivals at the drive-up window of
a local bank. If X has exponential distribution with parameter λ = 1. Compute
the following

(a) The expected time between two successive arrivals.

(b) The standard deviation between two successive arrivals.
(c) (i) P (X ≤ 4) (ii) P (2 ≤ X ≤ 5)

7. Extensive experience with fans of certain type used in the diesel engine has
suggested that the exponentially distribution provides a good modal for time
until the failure. Suppose the mean time until failure is 25,000 hours. What is
the probability that

(a) A randomly selected fan will last at least 20000 hrs? At most 30,000 hrs?
Between 20,000 and 30,000 hrs?
(b) the life time of a fan exceeds the mean value by more than 2 s.d.? More
than 3 s.d.

8. The number of years a radio functions is exponentially distributed with mean

life 8 years. If John buys a used radio, what is the probability that it will be
working an additional 8 years?