Section Check In – Statistics

Continuous Random Variables (b)

Questions
.1* The random variable X has the following probability density function.

(a) Calculate the value of k.

(b) Write down the mode of X.

.2* A continuous random variable X has the following probability density function, .

(a) Sketch .

(b) (i) Show that .

(ii) Hence determine the standard deviation.

3.* A continuous random variable has cumulative distribution function given by

{
f ( x )= k ln x ,∧1< x ≤5
0 , otherwise

(a) Find the probability density function, , in terms of

(b) Show that the exact value of where , and are constants to be
found.

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Specifications are updated over time, which means there may be contradictions between the resource and the

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specification, therefore please use the information on the latest specification at all times. If you do notice a discrepancy
please contact us on the following email address: [email protected]

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.4* A continuous random variable with probability density function given by

where is a positive constant.

(a) Calculate the value of .

(b) Find .

(c) Find .

(d) Find the cumulative distribution function, .

(e) Find the median of X.

.5* Jayne throws darts at random at a circular board. The darts hit the board at a distance X
centimetres from the centre, where X is a random variable with probability density function

given by f(x) =

where k is a positive constant.

(a) Verify that f is a probability density function whatever the value of k.

It is now given that E(X) = 8.

(b) Find the value of k.

(c) Find the probability that a dart lands more than 3 cm from the centre of the board.

6.* The manager of a telesales centre collects data on how long customers have to wait in a
queue in minutes. The data suggests an exponential distribution with for the waiting
times in minutes, denoted by X X , with probability density function given by

(a) Find the cumulative distribution of .

The manager has decided to employ another member of staff if half of the customers are
waiting longer than 3 minutes for their call to be answered.

(b) Determine whether the manager will employ another member of staff.

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7.* A random number generator is used to produce any number between 0 and 100 inclusive
where each number is equally likely to occur.

(a) State the name of a suitable distribution.

(b) Find the probability density function for this distribution.

8.* A manufacturer of fireworks is investigating the lengths of time for which the fireworks burn.
For a particular type of firework this length of time, in minutes, is modelled by the random
variable T with probability density function

for
where k is a constant.

(a) Show that .

(b) Find the modal time.

(c) Find E(T) and show that Var(T) .

(d) A large random sample of n fireworks of this type is tested. Write down in terms of n
the approximate distribution of , the sample mean time.

9.* The operator of a section of motorway toll road records its weekly takings according to the
types of vehicles using the motorway. For purposes of charging, there are three types of
vehicle: cars, coaches, lorries. The weekly takings (in thousands of pounds) for each type
are assumed to be Normally distributed. These distributions are independent of each other
and are summarised in the table.

Vehicle type Mean Standard deviation

Cars 60.2 5.2
Coaches 33.9 6.3
Lorries 52.4 4.9

(a) Find the probability that the weekly takings for coaches are less than
£40 000.

(b) Find the probability that the weekly takings for lorries exceed the weekly takings for
cars.

(c) Find the probability that over a 4-week period the total takings for cars exceed
£225 000. What assumption must be made about the four weeks?

(d) Each week the operator allocates part of the takings for repairs. This is determined
for each type of vehicle according to estimates of the long-term damage caused. It is
calculated as follows: 5% of takings for cars, 10% for coaches and 20% for lorries.
Find the probability that in any given week the total amount allocated for repairs will
exceed £20 000.

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10.* A random sample of adults is asked to estimate the same person’s height. The Normal
probability plot below shows the estimates.

(a) State how the Normal probability plot provides evidence that a Normal distribution
might be a suitable model for the estimates of height.

The tables below show some output from statistical software for the estimates.

Summary
n 21
mean 168.28571
median 168
Standard deviation 6.871265

Kolmogorov-Smirnov test of Normality

Test statistic 0.13627
p-value 0.7817

(b) State the null and alternative hypotheses for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test
of Normality.

(c) Write down the conclusion for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test of Normality.

Extension

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Worked solutions

1. (a)

BC

(b) has a maximum value when so the mode is 0.5.

2. (a)

(b) (i)

(ii) BC

Standard deviation

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3. (a)

(b)

∫ c x 2 dx =1⇒
4. (a) 0

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e) If m is the median,

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5. (a) f(x) > 0 for all x

= 1 for all values of k

(b)

=8
k = 12

(c)

6. (a)

(b) greater than half wait longer than 3 minutes,

therefore the manager should employ more staff.

7. (a) Continuous uniform distribution

(b)

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8. (a)

(b) is a maximum at the modal time.

or

When , but when , so the modal time is .

(c)

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 (d)

9. (a) Let weekly takings for coaches in thousands of pounds be B. .

(b) Let weekly takings for lorries in thousands of pounds be L.

(c) Takings over 4 weeks in thousands ~ . Need to assume that the

weeks are independent of each other.

P(Takings >225) = 0.9356

(d) Let weekly repair allocation in thousands of pounds be R.

Mean =
Variance =
P(R>20) = 0.0045

10. (a) The points lie close to a straight line.

(b) H0: The Normal distribution fits the data.

H1: The Normal distribution does not fit the data.

(c) The p-value is 0.7817 so there is insufficient evidence that the Normal distribution does
not fit the data.

Extension

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