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DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLES
1. A random variable T has the following probability distribution. P(T=1) = 0.1,
P(T=2) = 0.2, P(T=3)= 0.3, P(T=4)= 0.4, show that the distribution above
is a probability distribution.
Determine:
i. The expected value and variance of T
ii. P(T= 2 | T 2)
2
Answer: E(T) = 3, Var(T) = 1 P(T=2| T 2) = .
9
2. For each of the following random variable write out the probability
distributions
a) The number of heads obtained when two fair coins are tossed
b) The sum of the scores when two ordinary dice are thrown.
c) The number of threes obtained when two tetrahedral are thrown
d) The numerical value of a digit chosen from a set of random number table
e) The number of tails obtained when three fair coins are tossed.
f) The difference between the number when two ordinary dice are thrown
3. A computer is made to produce randomly the number 0, 1, 2,…9, what is the
expected value and variance of the numbers so produced?
Answer: E(X)= 4.5, Var(X)= 8.25
4. A discrete random variable X takes integer values between 0 and 5 inclusive
with probabilities given by
2r 1
20 r 0,1, 2,3
P X r
11 2r r 4,5
20
Find the expectation and Variance of X
Answer: E(X) = 2.55, Var(X) =1.45
5. A random variable X can assume values 10 and 20 only. If E(X)= 16, write the
P.D.F of X in table form
Answer:
X P(X=X)
10 0.4
20 0.6
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6. Two tetrahedral dice are thrown and score is the product of the number on
which the dice fall. What is the expected score for a throw?
Answer: 6.25
7. A random variable X has the probability function
k 2 x x 0,1, 2,...6
f x
0 otherwise
Determine:
(i) The value of k
(ii) E(X)
(iii) P(X < 4\ X > 1)
Answer: (i) = 1 (ii) E(X) = 5 (iii) 3 .
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8. A discrete random variable X has probability function
x
x 1, 2,3...n
P X x k
0 otherwise
Where k is a constant
Given that the expectation of X is 3, find:
(i) The value of n and the constant k
(ii) The median and variance of X
(iii) P(X = 2 \ X 2)
2
Answer: (i) n = 4, k = 10 (ii) median =3, Var(x) =1 (iv) P(X 2) = .
9. The number of times a machine breaks down every month is a discrete
random variable X with the probability distribution
k 0.25x x 0,1, 2,3,...
P X x
0 0therwise
Where k is a constant t
Determine the probability that the machine will break down not more than
two times a month.
Answer: 0.984
10. A 5- sided die with sides numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is constructed so that 1
and 5 occur twice as often as 2 and 4, which occur three times as often as 3.
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What is the probability that a perfect square occurs when this die is tossed
once?
9
Answer: P(4 Or 1) = .
19
11. A bag contains two red and eight black marbles. A sample of four marbles is
to be drawn at random from the bag without replacement:
(a) Show that the probability of obtaining exactly two red marbles in the
sample is 2\15
(b) Show that the probability of obtaining exactly one red marble in the
sample is 8/15
(c) Calculate the expected number of red marbles that will be drawn.
Answer: E(X) = 0.8
12. The probability of a number appearing on top face when an unbalanced die
is tossed is proportional to the number. Find the probability that an odd or
prime number will appear. If the die is tossed twice, find the probability
distribution function for the sum of the two numbers that appear on the top
face. What is the most likely sum?
Answer: P(O P)=
11
.
21
The likely sum is 9
13. A bag contains one 200 Shs note, three 100 Shs notes and n 50 Shs notes. A
note is selected at random from the bag, its value noted and then replaced.
The process is repeated many times. If the average of the values of the
notes after many trials is 110 Shs, determine:
i. The value of n
ii. The expected value of the sum of the two notes selected at random
without replacement.
Answer: (i) n= 1 (ii) E(X) = 220
14. A basket contains 7 ripe mangoes and 8 raw mangoes. Two mangoes are
picked in succession with replacement. Find the most likely number of ripe
mangoes picked.
Answer: 1
15. A bag Z contains 3 red balls and 6 white balls and the second bag X contains
5 red balls and 4 white balls. A ball is chosen at random from bag Z and
placed in bag X. A ball is then chosen at random from bag X and placed in
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bag Z. If R is the number of red balls in bag Z after these operations, find the
probability distribution of R. Hence the expected value of R.
2 8 1
Answer: P(R = 2) = , P(R =3) = , P(R = 4) = , E(R) = 3.2
15 15 3
16. The discrete random variable X has distribution function F(X) where
x
F x 1 1 x
4
For x 1, 2, 3, 4
(a) Show that F(3) =
63 3
64 and F(2) = 4 .
(b) Obtain the probability distribution of X
(c) Find the E(X) and Var(X)
(d) Find P(X > E(X))
1
(c)2 64 , 0.547 (d) 0.25
17. (a)An examination question has two parts A and B. The probability of a
student getting part A correct is 2 3 . If she gets part A correct, the
probability that she gets part B correct is
3 , otherwise it is 1 . There are
4 6
three marks for a correct solution of part A, two marks for part B and a
bonus mark if both parts are correct. Calculate the expected value and
variance of the student’s total mark for the question?
(b) In a game where a gambler rolls a dice on a ＄1 stake, the Casino pays
out ＄10 for a double six and ＄3 for a score of sum seven (the stake money
returned as well) and for other score the gambler loses his stake. What is
the Casino’s expected profit on a ＄100 stake?
Answer: (a) E(X) = 3.61, Var(X) = 6.683, (b) E(P) =＄2.78
18. The probability of a discrete random variable X is given by;
P(X= r) = Kr ; r = 1,2,3,……,n: where K is a constant
2
(a) Show that K .
n n 1
(b) Find in terms of n, the expected value of x.
(c) Show that Var(X)=
n 1 n 2 . Ans:(b) E(x) = 2n 1 .
18 3
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19. A discrete random variable R has a p.d.f given by;
a2r
; r 1, 2,3,....n
F(r) = 4
0; elsewhere
1
If a>0 and E(R) = 17 , find the value of a. Ans: a= .
3 3
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