Activity No.

Binomial Probability Distribution

Course : Math 009 Probability and Statistics Experiment No. :

Name : Latoza, Angel Lyka B. Section : CS31S1
Date Performed : 09/22/2021
Date Submitted : 09/22/2021
Instructor : Prof. Mary Rhoda Lailo
1. Objective(s)

To be able to fully understand the use of the Minitab 18 statistical software in solving probability problems.

2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

At the end of the exercise, the students are expected:

1. To solve problems on binomial distribution using MINITAB

3. Discussion

The binomial probability distribution is a discrete probability distribution controlled by the number of trials,
n, and the probability of success on a single trial, p.

MINITAB has three main commands for studying probability distributions.

The PDF (probability density function) gives the probability of a specified value for a discrete distribution.
The CDF (cumulative distribution function) for a value X gives the probability a random variable with
distribution specified in a subcommand is less than or equal to X.
The INVCDF gives the inverse of the CDF. In other words, for a probability P, INVCDF returns the value
X such that P ≈ CDF(X).

In this case of a binomial distribution. INVCDF often gives the two values of X for which P lies between
the respective CDF(X). The three commands PDF, CDF, and INVCDF apply to many probability
distributions. To apply them to a binomial distribution, we need to use the menu selections.

4. Materials and Equipment

• Minitab 18
• Computer

5. Procedure
 Calc>Probability distributions>Binomial
Dialog Box Responses
1. Select Probability for PDF; Cumulative probability for CDF; Inverse cumulative probability for
INVCDF
2. Number of trials: use the value of n in a binomial experiment,
3. Probability of success: use the value of p, the probability of success on a single trial, Input
column:
4. Put the values of r, the number of successes in a binomial experiment in a column such as C1.
5. Select an optional storage column.

Note: MINITAB uses X instead of r to count the number of successes, Input constant: Instead of putting
values of r in a column, you can type a specific value of r in the dialog box.

PROBLEM 1

A surgeon performs a difficult spinal column operation. The probability of success of the operation is p =
0.73. Ten such operations are scheduled. Find the probability of success for 0 through 10 successes out
of these ten operations.

STEPS

1. First enter the possible values of r, 0 through 10, in C1 and name the column r. We will put the
probabilities in C2, so name the column P(r).
2. Fill in the dialog box as shown below.
3. Then use the Data>Display data command.

4. Next use the CDF command to find the probability of 5 or fewer successes. In this case use the
option for an input constant of 5. Leave Optional storage blank. The output will be P(r ≤ 5). Note
that MINITAB uses X in place of r. The results follow.
 5. Finally use INVCDF to determine how many operations should be performed in order for the
probability of that many or fewer successes to be 0.5. We select Inverse cumulative probability.
Use .5 as the input constant. The results follow.

PROBLEM 2

The coach of a baseball team wants to know the probability that a particular player hits one home run
during a game in which the player goes up to bat 4 times. Based on the player's past games, the coach
assumes that the player has a 0.10 probability of hitting a home run in the current game. Because the
player will either hit a home run or will not for each time at bat, the coach uses the binomial distribution.

STEPS

1. In the column name cell of an empty worksheet column, type HRs.

2. Copy and paste, or type the following data into the HRs column.

0
1
2
3
4

3. These values represent the number of home runs that the player could hit over the duration of
the game.
4. Choose Calc> Probability Distributions > Binomial.
 5. Select Probability.
6. In Number of trials, enter 4.
7. In Event probability, enter 0.10.
8. In Input column, enter HRs.
9. Click OK.

Your results should look like this:

PROBLEM 3

You toss a coin 8 times. Call heads success. If the coin is fair, the probability of success P is 0.5. What is
the probability of getting exactly 5 heads out of 8 tosses? of exactly 20 heads out of 100 tosses?

6. Data and Results

Results for Problem 1

Cumulative Distribution Function

Probability
Distribution
Function

Inverse Cumulative Distribution Function

Results for Problem 2

Results for Problem 3

5 heads out of 8 tosses

20 heads out of 100 tosses