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A subway train on the Red Line arrives every 8 minutes during rush hour. We are interested in the length of time a commuter must wait for a train to arrive. The time follows a uniform distribution.

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{X={}} {}
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • Graph the probability distribution.
  • f ( x ) = size 12{f \( x \) ={}} {}
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • σ = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • Find the probability that the commuter waits less than one minute.
  • Find the probability that the commuter waits between three and four minutes.
  • 60% of commuters wait more than how long for the train? State this in a probability question (similar to g and h ), draw the picture, and find the probability.
  • X ~ U ( 0,8 ) size 12{X "~" U \( 0,8 \) } {}
  • f ( x ) = 1 8 where 0 x 8
  • 4
  • 2.31
  • 1 8
  • 1 8
  • 3.2

The age of a first grader on September 1 at Garden Elementary School is uniformly distributed from 5.8 to 6.8 years. We randomly select one first grader from the class.

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{X={}} {}
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • Graph the probability distribution.
  • f ( x ) = size 12{f \( x \) ={}} {}
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • σ = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • Find the probability that she is over 6.5 years.
  • Find the probability that she is between 4 and 6 years.
  • Find the 70th percentile for the age of first graders on September 1 at Garden Elementary School.

Let X ~ size 12{X "~" } {} Exp(0.1)

  • decay rate=
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • Graph the probability distribution function.
  • On the above graph, shade the area corresponding to P ( x < 6 ) size 12{P \( X<6 \) } {} and find the probability.
  • Sketch a new graph, shade the area corresponding to P ( 3 < x < 6 ) size 12{P \( 3<X<6 \) } {} and find the probability.
  • Sketch a new graph, shade the area corresponding to P ( x > 7 ) size 12{P \( X>7 \) } {} and find the probability.
  • Sketch a new graph, shade the area corresponding to the 40th percentile and find the value.
  • Find the average value of x size 12{X} {} .
  • 0.1
  • 10
  • 0.4512
  • 0.1920
  • 0.4966
  • 5.11
  • 10

Suppose that the length of long distance phone calls, measured in minutes, is known to have an exponential distribution with the average length of a call equal to 8 minutes.

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{X={}} {}
  • Is X size 12{X} {} continuous or discrete?
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • σ = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • Draw a graph of the probability distribution. Label the axes.
  • Find the probability that a phone call lasts less than 9 minutes.
  • Find the probability that a phone call lasts more than 9 minutes.
  • Find the probability that a phone call lasts between 7 and 9 minutes.
  • If 25 phone calls are made one after another, on average, what would you expect the total to be? Why?

Suppose that the useful life of a particular car battery, measured in months, decays with parameter 0.025. We are interested in the life of the battery.

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{X={}} {}
  • Is X size 12{X} {} continuous or discrete?
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • On average, how long would you expect 1 car battery to last?
  • On average, how long would you expect 9 car batteries to last, if they are used one after another?
  • Find the probability that a car battery lasts more than 36 months.
  • 70% of the batteries last at least how long?
  • X ~ Exp ( 0.025 ) size 12{X "~" "Exp" \( { {1} over {5} } \) } {}
  • 40 months
  • 360 months
  • 0.4066
  • 14.27

The percent of persons (ages 5 and older) in each state who speak a language at home other than English is approximately exponentially distributed with a mean of 9.848 . Suppose we randomly pick a state. (Source: Bureau of the Census, U.S. Dept. of Commerce)

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{X={}} {}
  • Is X size 12{X} {} continuous or discrete?
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • σ = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • Draw a graph of the probability distribution. Label the axes.
  • Find the probability that the percent is less than 12.
  • Find the probability that the percent is between 8 and 14.
  • The percent of all individuals living in the United States who speak a language at home other than English is 13.8 .
    • Why is this number different from 9.848%?
    • What would make this number higher than 9.848%?

The time (in years) after reaching age 60 that it takes an individual to retire is approximately exponentially distributed with a mean of about 5 years. Suppose we randomly pick one retired individual. We are interested in the time after age 60 to retirement.

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{X={}} {}
  • Is X size 12{X} {} continuous or discrete?
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • σ = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • Draw a graph of the probability distribution. Label the axes.
  • Find the probability that the person retired after age 70.
  • Do more people retire before age 65 or after age 65?
  • In a room of 1000 people over age 80, how many do you expect will NOT have retired yet?
  • X ~ Exp ( 1 5 ) size 12{X "~" "Exp" \( { {1} over {5} } \) } {}
  • 5
  • 5
  • 0.1353
  • Before
  • 18.3

The cost of all maintenance for a car during its first year is approximately exponentially distributed with a mean of $150.

  • Define the random variable. X = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • X ~ size 12{X "~" } {}
  • μ = size 12{μ={}} {}
  • σ = size 12{σ={}} {}
  • Draw a graph of the probability distribution. Label the axes.
  • Find the probability that a car required over $300 for maintenance during its first year.

Try these multiple choice problems

The next three questions refer to the following information. The average lifetime of a certain new cell phone is 3 years. The manufacturer will replace any cell phone failing within 2 years of the date of purchase. The lifetime of these cell phones is known to follow an exponential distribution.

The decay rate is

  • 0.3333
  • 0.5000
  • 2.0000
  • 3.0000

A

What is the probability that a phone will fail within 2 years of the date of purchase?

  • 0.8647
  • 0.4866
  • 0.2212
  • 0.9997

B

What is the median lifetime of these phones (in years)?

  • 0.1941
  • 1.3863
  • 2.0794
  • 5.5452

C

The next three questions refer to the following information. The Sky Train from the terminal to the rental car and long term parking center is supposed to arrive every 8 minutes. The waiting times for the train are known to follow a uniform distribution.

What is the average waiting time (in minutes)?

  • 0.0000
  • 2.0000
  • 3.0000
  • 4.0000

D

Find the 30th percentile for the waiting times (in minutes).

  • 2.0000
  • 2.4000
  • 2.750
  • 3.000

B

The probability of waiting more than 7 minutes given a person has waited more than 4 minutes is?

  • 0.1250
  • 0.2500
  • 0.5000
  • 0.7500

B

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Source:  OpenStax, Engr 2113 ece math. OpenStax CNX. Aug 27, 2010 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11224/1.1
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