EXAMPLE CHAPTER 3

Q1 (a) Given the following

x -1 0 1 2 3
P(X = x) 1/6 1/6 2/6 1/6 1/6

Show that the distribution is a probability distribution function. Find:

(i) P(X < 1)

P(-1)+P(0)+P(1)+P(2)+P(3)
= 1/6+1/6+2/6+1/6+1/6
=1
ΣP(X)=1….This is a probability distribution function

P(X<1)
P(X<1)=P(-1)+P(0)
=1/6+1/6
=2/6=1/6
(ii) P(X > 2)
P(X>2)=P(3) = 1/6
(iii P(-1 ≤ X ≤ 1)
) P(-1 ≤X ≤ 1)= P(-1)+P(0)+P(1)
=1/6+1/6+2/6
=4/6=2/3

(b) (𝑋=𝑥) is the probability distribution function of 𝑋. Find the cumulative distribution
function of 𝑋.

x -2 -1 0 1 2
P(X = x) 0.14 0.26 0.28 0.27 0.05

(i) F(x) = P(X ≤ x)

P(X<-2)=0
F(-2)=P(X≤-2)=P(-2)=0.14
F(-1)=P(X≤-1)=P(-2)+P(-1)
=0.14+0.26
=0.4

Q2 An experiment consists of tossing a fair coin three times. An example of one of the eight
possible outcomes is “Tail, Tail, Head”. Let X be a random variable of getting “Head”.
(a) Find the probabilities of getting “Head”. Show the probability distribution function (pdf)
for the given random variable X using a table, a graph and an equation.

Lets say H = head and T = tail

S={HHH, HHT, HTH, HTT, THH, THT, TTH, TTT}

Lets say X = random variable that denotes the number of head

Therefore possible values of X are given in the table below:

Events HHH HHT HTH HTT THH THT TTH TTT

Value 3 2 2 1 2 1 1 0
of X

Probability distribution in table

X P(X)
0 1/8
1 3/8
2 3/8
3 1/8
0.4
Probability in graph

X P(X)
0.2
0 0.125
1 0.375
2 0.375
3 00.125
0 1 2 3
Probability distribution in equation

{
, X=0,3
8
P(X) = 3
, X=1,2
8
0 , otherwise
(2 marks)

(b) From your answer in Q2(a), prove that the distribution is a probability distribution
function of a discrete random variable.

From the value of

 n

∑ P ( X i )=¿ P ( 0 ) + P (1 )+ P ( 2 ) + P ( 3 )=1 ¿
i=1

Therefore we can conclude that the distribution from Q1(b)(i) is a probability

distribution function of discrete random variable.
(4 marks)

(c) Construct a cumulative distribution function (cdf) for the given random variable X.
Write down the cdf in the form of an equation.

X P(X) F(X)
x<0 0 0
0 1/8 1/8
1 3/8 1/2
2 3/8 7/8
>3 1/8 1

0, X <0

{
1
, 0≤ X <1
8
1
F(X) = , 1≤ X <2
2
7
, 2 ≤ X <3
8
1, X ≥3

(d) Find the following probabilities:

(i) P(X < 2)
(i) P( X <2 )=P ( 0 ) + P ( 1 )
¿ 1/8+3 /8
4
¿ =1/2
8

(ii) P(X ≤ 2)
(ii) P ( X ≤2 ) =P ( 0 )+ P ( 1 ) + P ( 2 )
1 3 3
¿ + +
8 8 8
¿ 7/8

(iii) P(X ≥ 1)
(iii) ( X ≥ 1 )=P ( 1 )+ P ( 2 ) + P ( 3 )
3 3 1
¿ + + =7/8
8 8 8
 OR

P ( X ≥1 ) =1−P ( X <1 )
¿ 1−P ( 0 )
1 7
¿ 1− =
8 8

Q3 (a) The probability distribution function for the number of major defects ( x ) in
randomly selected finished products is given in the table .

x 0 1 2 3 4
P( X =x) 0.08 0.15 0.45 0.27 0.05

Compute the mean number of defects for all such products.

(i) E(X) = ΣXi. P(Xi) = 1(0.15)+2(0.45)+3(0.27)+4(0.05)

= 2.06

(ii) Compute the variance and standard deviation of x .

E(X2)= X2. P(X)

= 12(0.15)+22(0.45)+32(0.27)+42(0.05)
= 0.15+1.8+2.43+0.8
= 5.18

Var (X) =5.18-(2.062)

= 0.9364

Std =0.9364 ^1/2

=0.4682

(b) A continuous random variable has a density function given by:

 k
{
f ( x )= x
,∧1 ≤ x ≤10
0 ,∧otherwise

(i) Find the value of k .

(ii) Calculate the probability that x exceeds 3.

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