KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY KNUST
PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS FOR ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS AND ACTUARIAL SCIENCE
TUTORIAL SET 2
Discrete Random Variables and Discrete Probability Distributions
NOTE: Submit questions 1, 2, 7, 14, 18, 19 and 26 for assignment 2
1. An assembly consists of two mechanical components. Suppose that the probabilities that
the first and second components meet specifications are 0.95 and 0.98. Assume that the
components are independent. Determine the probability mass function of the number of
components in the assembly that meet specifications. Find the expected number of
components that meet specification.
2. The sample space of a random experiment is {𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑, 𝑒, 𝑓} and each outcome is
equally likely. A random variable is defined as follows
Outcome a B C D e f
X 0 0 1.5 1.5 2 3
i. Determine the probability mass function of X
ii. Find the expectation and the variance of the random variable X
iii. If a random variable Y is defined by 𝑌 = 2𝑋 + 3. Find the mean and variance of
the random variable Y.
3. The probability of a successful optical alignment in the assembly of an optical data storage
product is 0.8. Assume that the trials are independent.
(a) What is the probability that the first successful alignment requires exactly four trials?
(b) What is the probability that the first successful alignment requires at most four trials?
(c) What is the probability that the first successful alignment requires at least four trials?
4. Verify that the following functions are probability mass functions and determine the
requested probabilities
a.
X -2 -1 0 1 2
𝑃(𝑥) 1 2 2 2 1
8 8 8 8 8
i. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 2)
ii. 𝑃(𝑋 > −2)
iii. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ −1 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 2)
2𝑥+1
b. 𝑓(𝑥) = , 𝑥 = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
25
i. 𝑃(𝑋 = 4)
ii. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 1)
iii. 𝑃(2 ≤ 𝑋 < 4)
iv. 𝑃(𝑋 ≥ 1)
5. A trading company uses eight computers to trade on the New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE). The probability of a computer failing in a day is 0.005, and the computers fail
independently. Computers are repaired in the evening, and each day is an independent trial.
(a) What is the probability that all eight computers fail in a day?
(b) What is the mean number of days until a specific computer fails?
(c) What is the mean number of days until all eight computers fail on the same day?
6. A discrete random variable X has the probability mass function given by
1 𝑥−1
𝑓(𝑥) = { 3)
𝑎 ( , 𝑥 = 1, 2, 3, …
0, 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒
i. Find value of a
ii. Find 𝑃(𝑋 = 3)
7. Errors in an experimental transmission channel are found when the transmission is checked
by a certifier that detects missing pulses. The number of errors found in an eight-bit byte
is a random variable with the following distribution:
0, 𝑥<1
0.7, 1≤𝑥<4
𝐹(𝑥) = {
0.9, 4≤𝑥<7
1, 7≤𝑥
Determine each of the following probabilities
i. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 4)
ii. 𝑃(𝑋 > 7)
iii. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 5)
iv. 𝑃(𝑋 > 4)
v. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 2)
8. A player of a video game is confronted with a series of opponents and has an 80%
probability of defeating each one. Success with any opponent is independent of previous
encounters. Until defeated, the player continues to contest opponents.
(a) What is the probability mass function of the number of opponents contested in a game?
(b) What is the probability that a player defeats at least two opponents in a game?
(c) What is the expected number of opponents contested in a game?
(d) What is the probability that a player contests four or more opponents in a game?
(e) What is the expected number of game plays until a player contests four or more
opponents?
9. A discrete random variable Y has probability mass function given by
12
𝑃(𝑌 = 𝑦) = ( ) (0.6)𝑦 (0.4)12−𝑦 , 𝑦 = 1, 2, 3, … , 12
𝑦
a) Find the moment generating function of Y
b) Find 𝐸(𝑌) and 𝑉(𝑌)
c) Determine 𝐸(𝑌 3 )
10. The random variable X has the probability density function
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑒 −𝑥 , 𝑥>0
. Find:
i. the 𝑀𝑋 (𝑡)
ii. 𝐸(𝑋), 𝐸(𝑋 2 ), 𝐸(𝑋 3 ) and 𝐸(𝑋 𝑘 )
11. In a clinical study, volunteers are tested for a gene that has been found to increase the risk
for a disease. The probability that a person carries the gene is 0.1.
(a) What is the probability that four or more people need to be tested to detect two with the
gene?
(b) What is the expected number of people to test to detect two with the gene?
12. An array of 30 LED bulbs is used in an automotive light. The probability that a bulb is
defective is 0.001 and defective bulbs occur independently. Determine the following:
(a) Probability that an automotive light has two or more defective bulbs.
(b) Expected number of automotive lights to check to obtain one with two or more defective
bulbs.
13. A discrete random variable has a moment generating function given by
𝑡 −1)
𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) = 𝑒 2(𝑒
Find (a) 𝐸(𝑋) (b) 𝑉(𝑋)
14. X and Y are independent random variables with respective moment generating functions
𝑡 −1)
𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) = 𝑒 3(𝑒
and
𝑡
𝑀𝑌 (𝑡) = 𝑒 2(𝑒 −1)
i. Find the generating function of 𝑋 + 𝑌
ii. 𝐸(𝑋 + 𝑌)
15. An assembly consists of three mechanical components. Suppose that the probabilities that
the first, second, and third components meet specifications are 0.95, 0.98, and 0.99,
respectively. Assume that the components are independent. Determine the probability mass
function of the number of components in the assembly that meet specifications
16. Thickness measurements of a coating process are made to the nearest hundredth of a
millimeter. The thickness measurements are uniformly distributed with values 0.15, 0.16,
0.17, 0.18, and 0.19. Determine the mean and variance of the coating thickness for this
process.
17. Suppose that X has a discrete uniform distribution on the integers 0 through 9. Determine
the mean, variance, and standard deviation of the random variable Y = 5X and compare to
the corresponding results for X.
18. A random variable has the moment generating function
(3𝑒 𝑡 )5
𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) =
(4 − 𝑒 𝑡 )5
Find
a) 𝑃(𝑋 = 5)
b) 𝑃(𝑋 > 6)
c) 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 8)
d) The first three moment of the distribution
19. The phone lines to an airline reservation system are occupied 40% of the time. Assume that
the events that the lines are occupied on successive calls are independent. Assume that 10
calls are placed to the airline.
(a) What is the probability that for exactly three calls, the lines are occupied?
(b) What is the probability that for at least one call, the lines are not occupied?
(c) What is the expected number of calls in which the lines are all occupied?
20. Heart failure is due to either natural occurrences (87%) or outside factors (13%). Outside
factors are related to induced substances or foreign objects. Natural occurrences are caused
by arterial blockage, disease, and infection. Suppose that 20 patients will visit an
emergency room with heart failure. Assume that causes of heart failure for the individuals
are independent.
(a) What is the probability that three individuals have conditions caused by outside factors?
(b) What is the probability that three or more individuals have conditions caused by outside
factors?
(c) What are the mean and standard deviation of the number of individuals with conditions
caused by outside factors?
21. A particularly long traffic light on your morning commute is green 20% of the time that
you approach it. Assume that each morning represents an independent trial.
(a) Over 5 mornings, what is the probability that the light is green on exactly one day?
(b) Over 20 mornings, what is the probability that the light is green on exactly four days?
(c) Over 20 mornings, what is the probability that the light is green on more than four
days?
22. The random variable X has the moment generating functions given by
(2 + 3𝑒 𝑡 )6
𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) =
56
a) What the distribution of X? Give for your answer.
b) Find 𝑃(𝑋 ≥ 1)
c) Find 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 2)
23. Heart failure is due to either natural occurrences (87%) or outside factors (13%). Outside
factors are related to induced substances or foreign objects. Natural occurrences are caused
by arterial blockage, disease, and infection. Assume that causes of heart failure for the
individuals are independent.
(a) What is the probability that the first patient with heart failure who enters the emergency
room has the condition due to outside factors?
(b) What is the probability that the third patient with heart failure who enters the emergency
room is the first one due to outside factors?
(c) What is the mean number of heart failure patients with the condition due to natural
causes who enter the emergency room before the first patient with heart failure from outside
factors?
24. Suppose that X is a negative binomial random variable with p = 0 2. and r = 4.
Determine the following:
(a) 𝐸(𝑋)
(b) 𝑃(𝑋 = 20)
(c) 𝑃(𝑋 = 19)
(d) 𝑃(𝑋 = 21)
25. A utility company might offer electrical rates based on time-of-day consumption to
decrease the peak demand in a day. Enough customers need to accept the plan for it to be
successful. Suppose that among 50 major customers, 15 would accept the plan. The utility
selects 10 major customers randomly (without replacement) to contact and promote the
plan.
(a) What is the probability that exactly two of the selected major customers accept the plan?
(b) What is the probability that at least one of the selected major customers accepts the
plan?
(c) Instead of 15 customers, what is the minimum number of major customers that would
need to accept the plan to meet the following objective? The probability that at least 1
selected major customer accepts the plan is greater than or equal to 0.95
26. The number of cracks in a section of interstate highway that are significant enough to
require repair is assumed to follow a Poisson distribution with a mean of two cracks per
mile.
(a) What is the probability that there are no cracks that require repair in 5 miles of highway?
(b) What is the probability that at least one crack requires repair in 1 2/ mile of highway?
(c) If the number of cracks is related to the vehicle load on the highway and some sections
of the highway have a heavy load of vehicles whereas other sections carry a light load,
what do you think about the assumption of a Poisson distribution for the number of cracks
that require repair?
27. Inclusions are defects in poured metal caused by contaminants. The number of (large)
inclusions in cast iron follows a Poisson distribution with a mean of 2.5 per cubic
millimeter. Determine the following:
(a) Probability of at least one inclusion in a cubic millimeter.
(b) Probability of at least five inclusions in 5.0 cubic millimeters.
(c) Volume of material to inspect such that the probability of at least one inclusion is 0.99.
(d) Instead of a mean of 2.5 per cubic millimeters, the mean inclusions per cubic millimeter
such that the probability of at least one inclusion is 0.95
28. The number of content changes to a Web site follows a Poisson distribution with a mean
of 0.25 per day.
(a) What is the probability of two or more changes in a day?
(b) What is the probability of no content changes in five days?
(c) What is the probability of two or fewer changes in five days?