Practice Problems-2:
Random Variables (CDF, PMF & PDF), Binomial
and Poisson
1. The number of cracks appearing per 1 km stretch of a newly constructed road is a
random variable X. Suppose the probability mass function (PMF) is:
0.2, x = 0,
0.3, x = 1,
0.25, x = 2,
P (X = x) =
0.15, x = 3,
0.1, x = 4,
0, otherwise.
(a) Find the probability that at most 2 cracks appear.
(b) Find the expected number of cracks, Median, mode, and variance of X.
(c) Find the Cumulative distribution function (CDF) F(x) for whole R
2. The compressive strength X (in MPa-MegaPascal = load per unit area or stress
unit) of a certain type of concrete is modeled by the probability density function:
(x
, 0 ≤ x ≤ 10,
f (x) = 50
0, otherwise.
(a) Show f is a valid PDF.
(b) Find the probability that the compressive strength is between 5 and 8 MPa.
(c) Find the expected compressive strength.
(d) Median, Mode, and variance of X.
3. For each of the following, determine whether the given function can serve as the
probability distribution of a random variable with the given range:
x−2
(a) f (x) = , x = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5;
5
x2
(b) f (x) = , x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4;
30
1
(c) f (x) = , x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
5
1
4. True or False
(a) A random variable X has the following density function:
(
cosx, 0 < x < π2 ,
f (x) =
0, otherwise.
2x
5. Verify that f (x) = k(k+1) , x = 1, 2, 3, . . . , k can serve as the probability distribu-
tion of a random variable with the given range.
6. Find the probability of getting between 3 and 6 heads inclusive in 10 tosses of a
fair coin.
7. The coin is tossed 5 times. X is counting the no of heads. Find its CDF, expectation,
variance, mean, and median.
8. In a game of taking a chance , a contestant has to give correct answers to 4 out
of 5 questions to win the contest. Questions are given with 3 answers each, out of
which one is the correct answer. If a contestant answers the questions by selecting
the answers at random, what is the probability that he will win the contest?
9. The incidence of occupational disease in an industry is such that the workers have
a 20% chance of suffering from it. What is the probability that out of six workers
chosen at random, 4 or more suffer from the disease?
10. A call center receives on average 3 calls per minute. What is the probability that
in a given minute, exactly 2 calls are received?
11. In a certain city, the number of accidents per day follows a Poisson distribution
with mean 2. What is the probability that on a given day, there will be at most 1
accident?
12. A machine produces on average 1 defective item out of every 20. If 200 items are
checked, what is the probability of finding exactly 8 defective ones.
13. In a book of 800 pages, 300 typographical errors are noticed. Assuming Poisson
law for the number of errors per page, find the probability that a randomly chosen
4 pages will contain no errors. (Poisson law for no of errors: per page error = total
no of errors/total no of pages)