S1 Chapter 8 Exam Questions – Discrete Random Variables

[June 2013 Q5] 1. A biased die with six faces is rolled. The discrete random variable X represents
the score on the uppermost face. The probability distribution of X is shown in the table below.

x 1 2 3 4 5 6

P(X = x) a a a b b 0.3

(a) Given that E(X) = 4.2 find the value of a and the value of b. (5)
(b) Show that E(X 2) = 20.4. (1)
(c) Find Var(5 – 3X). (3)

A biased die with five faces is rolled. The discrete random variable Y represents the score
which is uppermost. The cumulative distribution function of Y is shown in the table below.

y 1 2 3 4 5

1 2
F(y) 3k 4k 5k
10 10

(d) Find the value of k. (1)

(e) Find the probability distribution of Y. (3)

Each die is rolled once. The scores on the two dice are independent.

(f) Find the probability that the sum of the two scores equals 2. (2)

[May 2013(R) Q2] 2. The discrete random variable X takes the values 1, 2
and 3 and has cumulative distribution function F(x) given by

x 1 2 3
F(x) 0.4 0.65 1

(a) Find the probability distribution of X. (3)

(b) Write down the value of F(1.8). (1)

[May 2013(R) Q7] 3. The score S when a spinner is spun has the following probability
distribution.

s 0 1 2 4 5
P(S = s) 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2

(a) Find E(S). (2)

(b) Show that E(S2) = 10.4. (2)
(c) Hence find Var(S). (2)
(d) Find
(i) E(5S – 3),
(ii) Var(5S – 3). (4)
(e) Find P(5S – 3 > S + 3). (3)
 The spinner is spun twice.
The score from the first spin is S1 and the score from the second spin is S2.
The random variables S1 and S2 are independent and the random variable X = S1 × S2.
(f) Show that P({S1 = 1} ∩ X < 5) = 0.16. (2)
(g) Find P(X < 5) (3)

[Jan 2013 Q2] 4. The discrete random variable X can take only the values 1, 2 and 3. For these
values the cumulative distribution function is defined by

x3 +k
F(x) = 40 , x = 1, 2, 3.

(a) Show that k = 13. (2)

(b) Find the probability distribution of X (4)

259
Given that Var(X) = 320 ,

(c) find the exact value of Var(4X – 5). (2)

[Jan 2013 Q6] 5. A fair blue die has faces numbered 1, 1, 3, 3, 5 and 5. The random variable B
represents the score when the blue die is rolled.

(a) Write down the probability distribution for B. (2)

(b) State the name of this probability distribution. (1)
(c) Write down the value of E(B). (1)

A second die is red and the random variable R represents the score when the red die is rolled.
The probability distribution of R is
r 2 4 6

2 1 1
P(R = r)
3 6 6

(d) Find E(R).

(2)
(e) Find Var(R). (3)

Tom invites Avisha to play a game with these dice.

Tom spins a fair coin with one side labelled 2 and the other side labelled 5. When Avisha
sees the number showing on the coin she then chooses one of the dice and rolls it. If the
number showing on the die is greater than the number showing on the coin, Avisha wins,
otherwise Tom wins.
Avisha chooses the die which gives her the best chance of winning each time Tom spins the
coin.

(f) Find the probability that Avisha wins the game, stating clearly which die she should use
in each case.
(4)
[May 2012 Q1] 6. A discrete random variable X has the probability function

P(X = x) =
{
k (1−x )2
0
x=−1 , 0 , 1 and 2
otherwise .

1
(a) Show that k = 6 . (3)
(b) Find E(X).
(2)
4
(c) Show that E(X ) = 3 .
2
(2)
(d) Find Var(1 – 3X). (3)

[Jan 2012 Q3] 7. The discrete random variable X can take only the values 2, 3, 4 or 6. For these
values the probability distribution function is given by

x 2 3 4 6

5 2k 7 k
P(X = x)
21 21 21 21

where k is a positive integer.

(a) Show that k = 3. (2)

Find
(b) F(3), (1)
(c) E(X), (2)
(d) E(X 2), (2)
(e) Var (7X – 5). (4)

[May 2011 Q3] 8. The discrete random variable Y has the probability distribution

y 1 2 3 4

P(Y = y) a b 0.3 c

where a, b and c are constants.

The cumulative distribution function F(y) of Y is given in the following table.

y 1 2 3 4

F(y) 0.1 0.5 d 1.0

where d is a constant.

(a) Find the value of a, the value of b, the value of c and the value of d. (5)
(b) Find P(3Y + 2  8). (2)
[May 2011 Q8] 9. A spinner is designed so that the score S is given by the following probability
distribution.

s 0 1 2 4 5
P(S = s) p 0.25 0.25 0.20 0.20

(a) Find the value of p. (2)

(b) Find E(S). (2)
(c) Show that E(S 2) = 9.45. (2)
(d) Find Var(S). (2)

Tom and Jess play a game with this spinner. The spinner is spun repeatedly and S counters
are awarded on the outcome of each spin. If S is even then Tom receives the counters and if S
is odd then Jess receives them. The first player to collect 10 or more counters is the winner.
(e) Find the probability that Jess wins after 2 spins. (2)
(f) Find the probability that Tom wins after exactly 3 spins. (4)
(g) Find the probability that Jess wins after exactly 3 spins. (3)

[Jan 2011 Q6] 10. The discrete random variable X has the probability distribution
x 1 2 3 4

P(X = x) k 2k 3k 4k

(a) Show that k = 0.1 (1)

Find
(b) E(X ) (2)
(c) E(X 2) (2)
(d) Var (2 – 5X ) (3)

Two independent observations X1 and X2 are made of X.

(e) Show that P(X1 + X2 = 4) = 0.1 (2)
(f ) Complete the probability distribution table for X1 + X2. (2)

y 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

P(X1 + X2 = y) 0.01 0.04 0.10 0.25 0.24

(g) Find P(1.5 < X1 + X2  3.5) (2)

[May 2010 Q3] 11. The discrete random variable X has probability distribution given by

x –1 0 1 2 3
1 1 1
P(X = x) 5 a 10 a 5

where a is a constant.
(a) Find the value of a. (2)
(b) Write down E(X). (1)
(c) Find Var(X ). (3)

The random variable Y = 6 − 2X.

(d) Find Var(Y). (2)
(e) Calculate P(X  Y). (3)
[Jan 2010 Q5] 12. The probability function of a discrete random variable X is given by

p(x) = kx2, x = 1, 2, 3.

where k is a positive constant.

1
(a) Show that k = 14 . (2)

Find

(b) P(X  2), (2)

(c) E(X), (2)
(d) Var (1 – X). (4)
Solutions
Question 1

Question 2

Question 3
Question 4

Question 5
Question 6

Question 7
Question 8

Question 9
Question 10

Question 11
Question 12