Biostatistics 1

1. A group of ten students, including a twin, are to be seated on a long bench.

Find the probability that:

a. The twins will sit beside each other

2. A two-digit number is made by choosing two integers, at random, from the set {1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6}.
If each integer may be used more than once, what is the probability that the
number is:
a. Divisible by 2
6 integers= 6*6 = 36
Even # are: 2, 4, 6 = 3*6 = 18
18 / 36 = 1/ 2 probability of selecting a number divisible by 2
b. Not divisible by 5.
5 * 6 = 30 2-digit number not divisible by 5
30 / 36 = 5/6 probability of choosing a number not divisible by 5

3. What is the probability that three letters chosen at random from the letters GREEN
contain:
a. The letter N
5C3 = 5! / (3!(5-3)!)=10
4 different letters in GREEN and N appear once so the probability is 1/ 10
b. Two E’s
2 e’s in green so 2*3 = 6 = 6/ 10 = 3/ 5 probability of two e’s
c. At least one E
3C3 = 1
4. A team of four people is chosen at random from a group of three men and four
women.
Find the probability that there are:
a. No men on the team
7C4 = 7! / (4!(7-4)!) = 35 combinations of forming a team of 4
1/35 probability of having no men on the team
b. At least two men in the team.
3*4= 12 ways of having 1 man
1-(1/35 + 12/ 35) = 1 – 13 / 35= 22/ 35 probability of having at least two men on the
team

5. A box contains four white counters and one red counter. If two counters were
removed at random, what is the probability that the red counter is not removed?
= 1-1/5 = 4/5
= (4/5)*(4/5)= 16/25

6. A number is made by choosing two or three digits at random form the set {1, 2, 3,
4}. If each digit can be chosen more than once to make a number, what is the
probability of a number less than 200 being made?
Choosing 2-digits to make 2-digit number:
= 4*4 = 16
= 2*4 = 8 less than 200
Choosing 3-digit to make a 3-digit number
= 4*4*4 = 64
= 4*4 = 16 less than 200
Total # less than 200= 8 + 16 = 24
Total # of possibilities = 16 + 64 = 80
Probability = 24 / 80 = 3/10
7. Three people A, B, and C, gamble for a prize by rolling a die. The winner is the first
person to roll a six. If the die is unbiased and they roll the die in the order A, then B,
then C, find the probability that:
a. A wins in the first throw
If they roll a 6. The probability of rolling a 6 is 1/6
b. C wins at first attempt,
To win on the first attempt, a and b have to roll other than 6. The probability of a and
b not rolling on s 6 is (5/6) and c is on a 6. The Probability is (5/ 6) * ( 5/ 6)*(1/6)
c. B wins at his third attempt
To win at the third attempt, A & C must not roll on 6 at the previous attempt. The
probability of A & C not rolling at 6 on the first 2 attempts is (5/6) and B on 6 is (1/6)
so the probability of b winning on his third attempt is (5/6)*(5/6)*(1/6)
d. A wins (outline the solution)
The probability of not winning on the first throw is (5/6) but the second throw is
(1/6)
The probability of not winning on the first throw is (5/6) neither on the second throw
is (5/6) and winning on the third throw is (1/6)
Overall probabilities= (1/6) + (5/6) * (1/6) + (5/6) * (5/6) * (1/6) = 7/16 probability
that A wins

8. Two people A and B, play a game by drawing a card from a pack of fifty-two
playing cards. The first to draw an ace win. The cards drawn are not put back in
the pack and they play in the order A, B. Find the probability that:
a. A win on his first draw
1
b. A win on his second draw
(1/52) * (51/51) = 1/52
c. A win on his third draw.
(1/52) * (51/51) * (50/50)= 1/52
9. Phone Numbers Current rules for telephone area codes allow the use of digits 2–9
for the first digit and 0–9 for the second and third digits. How many different area
codes are possible with these rules? That same rule applies to the exchange
numbers, which are the three digits immediately preceding the last four digits of a
phone number. Given both of those rules, how many ten-digit phone numbers are
possible? Given that these rules apply to the United States and Canada and a few
islands, are there enough possible phone numbers? (Assume that the combined
population is about 400,000,000.)
First digits: 2-9 digits, 8 choices
Second digits 0-9, 10 choices
3 of code areas= 8 * 10 * 10 = 800
3 of ten-digit phone numbers = 8 * 10 * 10 * 10^7 = 80,000,000
10. Classic Counting Problem A classic counting problem is to determine the number of
different ways that the letters of “Mississippi” can be arranged. Find that number.
I = 4x, S = 4x, P = 2x, M = 1x
11! / (4! * 4! * 2!) = (11*10*9*8*7*6*5*4!*4!*2) = (11*10*9*8*7*6*5) = 27,720
11. Corporate Officers and Committees The Newport Medical Supply Company must
appoint a president, chief executive officer (CEO), chief operating officer (COO),
and chief financial officer (CFO). It must also appoint a strategic planning
committee with four different members. There are 10 qualified candidates, and
officers can also serve on the committee.
a. How many different ways can the four officers be appointed?
= 10( choices of presidents)* 10( choices of CEO)* 10 (choices of COO)* 10
(choices of CFO) = 10^4= 10,000 different ways.
b. How many different ways can a committee of four be appointed?
= 10C4 = 10! / (4! (10-4)!)= 10! / (4!*6!) = ( 10*9*8*7) / (4*3*2*1)= 210
c. What is the probability of randomly selecting the committee members and
getting the four youngest of the qualified candidates?
= (10C4) / 210
= 10C4 = 10! / (4!(10-4)!) = 10! / (4!*6!) = (10*9*8*7) / (4*3*2*1) = 210
=210/210 = 1
12. What a Word! One of the longest words in standard statistics terminology is
“homoscedasticity.” How many ways can the letters in that word be arranged?
15 letters, O = 4x, S= 2x, C= 2x
# of arrangements =15!/ (4!*2!*2!) = (15*14*13*12*10*9*8*7*6*5*4!*2*2)/(4!*2!*2!)
= (15*14*13*12*10*9*8*7*6*5)= 653837184000
13. Morse Codes The International Morse code is a way of transmitting coded text by
using sequences of on>off tones. Each character is 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 segments
long, and each segment is either a dot or a dash. For example, the letter G is
transmitted as two dashes followed by a dot, as in — — •. How many different
characters are possible with this scheme? Are there enough characters for the
alphabet and numbers?
26 letters
Symbol 1: 2 possibilities, Symbol 2: 4 possibilities, Symbol 3: 8 possibilities, Symbol 4:
16 Possibilities
Total characters = (26 + 10 + 10) = 46
Total Possibilities= Total Characters * (2 + 4 +8 + 16) = 46 * 30 = 1380
14. Handshakes
a. Five physicians gather for a meeting about a patient. If each physician shakes
hands with each other physician exactly once, what is the total number of
handshakes?
# of handshakes= 5C2 = (5*4)/(2*1) = 10 handshakes
b. If n physicians shake hands with each other exactly once, what is the total
number of handshakes?
# of handshakes = nC2 n*n-1/2 = 10C2 = (10*(10-1))/2= 24 = nC2 = (n*(n-1))/2
c. How many different ways can five physicians be seated at a round table?
(Assume that if everyone moves to the right, the seating arrangement is the
same.
# of ways= (4!)/5=24/5 = 4.8 = 5 different ways
d. How many different ways can n physicians be seated at a round table?
# of ways= 5-1= 4 =(n=1)! / n