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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Probability and Statistics

Assignment- Week 3
TYPE OF QUESTION: MCQ/MSQ
Number of questions: 10 Total mark: 10 X 1 = 10
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QUESTION 1:
A continuous random variable X is uniformly distributed over the interval [–1, 3]. Find
𝑃(1 < 𝑋 < 1.4).

(A) 0.8

(B) 0.5

(C) 0.1

(D) 0.2

Correct Answer: (C)

Detailed Solution:
1
, 𝑥 ∈ [−1,3]
Here 𝐹(𝑋 = 𝑥 ) = { 4 .
0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒
1.4 1
𝑃(1 < 𝑋 < 1.4) = ∫1 𝑑𝑥 = 0.1
4

Hence the correct answer is (C).

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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

QUESTION 2:
For a kidney transplant, a patient is waiting for a compatible kidney donor. If the probability that
a randomly chosen donor is a suitable match, is p = 0.2. How many donors are expected to be
tested before a matching donor is found?

(A) 2

(B) 20

(C) 10

(D) 5

Correct Answer: (D)

Detailed Solution:

Let 𝑋 be the number of donors tested until a matching donor is found. Then 𝑋 follows a
geometric distribution with p = 0.2.
1
So, the expected number of donors tested before finding a matching donor is = 0.2 = 5.

Hence the correct answer is (D).

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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

QUESTION 3:

In a shipment of 20 TV picture tubes there are 5 defective tubes. What is the probability that out
of a random selection of 4 tubes, there are exactly 2 defective tubes?

70
(A) 323

65
(B) 289

61
(C)
276

53
(D) 241

Correct Answer: (A)

Detailed Solution:

(15 5
2 )(2) 70
The required probability = 323
(20
4)

Hence the correct option is (A).

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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

QUESTION 4:

Let 𝑋 be a discrete random variable having the probability mass function given by
𝑥
𝑖𝑓 𝑥 = 1, 2, 3, 4,5
𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥 ) = {15 .
0 otherwise
1 5
Then calculate 𝑃 (2 < 𝑋 < 2 | 𝑋 > 1).

3
(A) 14

3
(B) 7

5
(C) 14

1
(D) 7

Correct Answer: (D)

Detailed Solution:
1 5 𝑃(𝑋=2) 2/15 1
𝑃 (2 < 𝑋 < 2 | 𝑋 > 1) = 1−𝑃(𝑋=1) = 1−1/15 = 7.

Hence the correct option is (D).

______________________________________________________________________________
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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

QUESTION 5:
Suppose that the random variable 𝑋 stands for the number of cars that pass through a car wash
between 4 P.M. and 5 P.M. on any day with the following probability distribution

𝑋=𝑥 4 5 6 7 8 9

𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥) 1/12 1/12 1/4 1/4 1/6 1/6

Let 𝑔 (𝑋) = 24 𝑋 + 36 be the amount of money in rupees paid to the car wash attendant by the
manager. Find the attendant's expected earnings for this particular time period.

(A) 180

(B) 195

(C) 200

(D) 225

Correct Answer: (C)

Detailed Solution:

We know that
∞ 9

𝐸 (𝑋) = ∑ 𝑥𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥) = ∑ 𝑥𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥)

𝑥=−∞ 𝑥=4

1 1 1 1 1 1 41
=4× +5× +6× +7× +8× +9× =
12 12 4 4 6 6 6
Therefore, the average earning by the attendant is obtained as

41
𝐸(𝑔(𝑋)) = 24 × + 36 = 200.
6
Hence the correct answer is (C).

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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

QUESTION 6:

Let 𝑋 be a discrete random variable with the probability mass function given by

𝑋=𝑥 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥) 𝑘 2𝑘 2𝑘 3𝑘 𝑘2 2𝑘 2 7𝑘 2 + 𝑘

If 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ x) > 1/2, find the minimum value of 𝑥.

(A) 3

(B) 4

(C) 5

(D) 2

Correct Answer: (B)

Detailed Solution:

From the property of a probability mass function,

𝑘 + 2𝑘 + 2𝑘 + 3𝑘 + 𝑘 2 + 2𝑘 2 + 7𝑘 2 + 𝑘 = 1

⇒ 10𝑘 2 + 9𝑘 − 1 = 0

⇒ (10𝑘 − 1)(𝑘 + 1) = 0
1
⇒ 𝑘 = 10 𝑜𝑟 𝑘 = −1 .

1
Since 𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥) ≥ 0, 𝑘 = 10.

1 1
Clearly 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 3) = 2 and (𝑋 ≤ 4) > 2 .

Hence the correct option is (B).

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QUESTION 7:
1
The probability of a man hitting a target is 3. How many times must he try so that the probability
of hitting the target at least once is more than 90%?

(A) 4 times
(B) 5 times
(C) 6 times
(D) 3 times

Correct Answer: (C)

Detailed Solution:

Given the probability that a man hitting the target = 𝑝 = 1/3. Then the probability of not
hitting the target = 𝑞 = 1 − 𝑝 = 2/3. Let n be the number of times required to hit the
target at least once. Then we have the probability Then

𝑃(𝑋 ≥ 1) = ∑𝑛𝑥=1(𝑛𝑥) 𝑝 𝑥 (1 − 𝑝)𝑛−𝑥 = 1 − 𝑃(𝑋 = 0) = 1 − 𝑞 𝑛 = 1 − (2/3)𝑛 > 0.90

2 𝑛
⇒ (3) < 0.10

Taking log on both sides and simplifying, we get, 𝑛 ≥ 6.

Hence the correct option is (C).

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QUESTION 8:
In a certain industrial facility the probability of an accident on any given day is 0.005, and
accidents are independent of each other. What is the probability that over any given period of
400 days, there will be exactly one accident?

(A) 2𝑒 −2
(B) 2𝑒 −1
(C) 3𝑒 −2
(D) 3𝑒 −1

Correct Answer: (A)

Detailed Solution:

Given the probability of an accident on any given day be = 𝑝 = 0.005. Given the number of
days with no accidents is = 𝑛 = 400. Since n is large and p is small, we can approximate this
to a Poisson distribution with mean = 𝑛𝑝 = 400 × 0.005 = 2. Now, if we let 𝑋 as the
random variable that number of accidents, then 𝑋 follows a Poisson distribution with mean λ =
𝑒 −22𝑥
2. Therefore, 𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑥 ) = , 𝑥 = 0,1,2, . ..
𝑥!

Now the probability that there is one accident on a day is given by

𝑒 −2 21
𝑃 (𝑋 = 1) = = 2𝑒 −2
1!
Hence the correct option is (A).

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 NPTEL Online Certification Courses
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QUESTION 9:
3
A random variable 𝑋 has the MGF 𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) = (3 – 𝑡) , 𝑡 < 3 . Obtain the variance of 𝑋.

1
(A) 2

1
(B) 10

1
(C) 9

1
(D)
6

Correct Answer: (C)

Detailed Solution:

3 𝑡 −1 𝑡 𝑡 2 𝑡 3
𝑀𝑋 (𝑡) = = (1 − ) = 1 + + ( ) + ( ) + ⋯
3−𝑡 3 3 3 3

1 𝑡 2 𝑡2 2 𝑡3
=1+ + + ⋯
3 1! 9 2! 9 3!
2
Therefore, mean = 𝐸 (𝑋) = 1/3 and 𝐸(𝑋 2 ) = 9.

2 1
Variance= σ2 (𝑋) = 𝐸 (𝑋 2 ) − (𝐸(𝑋)) = 9

Hence the correct answer is (C).

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QUESTION 10:
If 𝑋 is a Poisson variate with parameter λ such that

𝑃(𝑋 = 2) = 9𝑃(𝑋 = 4) + 90𝑃(𝑋 = 6),

then find the variance of 𝑋.

(A) 2

(B) 3

(C) 4

(D) 1

Correct Answer: (D)

Detailed Solution:

It is given that

𝑃(𝑋 = 2) = 9𝑃(𝑋 = 4) + 90𝑃(𝑋 = 6),

𝑒 −λ λ2 9𝑒 −𝜆𝜆4 90𝑒 −𝜆𝜆6

⇒ = +
2! 4! 6!

⇒ λ4 + 3λ2 − 4 = 0

Therefore λ = ±1. But we know that λ > 0. Since in Poisson distribution, mean and variance are
equal to λ, we have variance = 1.

Hence the correct answer is (D).

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