Chapter 5

Some Discrete Probability

Distributions
5.1 This is a uniform distribution: f (x) =
3
P
3
f (x) = 10
.
Therefore P (X < 4) =

1
,
10

for x = 1, 2, . . . , 10.

x=1

5.2 Binomial distribution with n = 12 and p = 0.5. Hence

P (X = 3) = P (X 3) P (X 2) = 0.0730 0.0193 = 0.0537.
5.3 =

10
P

x
10

= 5.5, and 2 =

x=1

10
P

(x5.5)2
10

= 8.25.

x=1

5.4 For n = 5 and p = 3/4, we have

(a) P (X = 2) = 52 (3/4)2 (1/4)3 = 0.0879,

3
P
(b) P (X 3) =
b(x; 5, 3/4) = 1 P (X = 4) P (X = 5)
x=0




= 1 54 (3/4)4 (1/4)1 55 (3/4)5(1/4)0 = 0.3672.

5.5 We are considering a b(x; 20, 0.3).

(a) P (X 10) = 1 P (X 9) = 1 0.9520 = 0.0480.

(b) P (X 4) = 0.2375.

(c) P (X = 5) = 0.1789. This probability is not very small so this is not a rare event.
Therefore, P = 0.30 is reasonable.

5.6 For n = 6 and p = 1/2.

(a) P (2 X 5) = P (X 5) P (X 1) = 0.9844 0.1094.

(b) P (X < 3) = P (X 2) = 0.3438.

5.7 p = 0.7.

59

60

Chapter 5 Some Discrete Probability Distributions

(a) For n = 10, P (X < 5) = P (X 4) = 0.0474.

(b) For n = 20, P (X < 10) = P (X 9) = 0.0171.

5.8 For n = 8 and p = 0.6, we have
(a) P (X = 3) = b(3; 8, 0.6) = P (X 3) P (X 2) = 0.1737 0.0498 = 0.1239.

(b) P (X 5) = 1 P (X 4) = 1 0.4059 = 0.5941.

5.9 For n = 15 and p = 0.25, we have

(a) P (3 X 6) = P (X 6) P (X 2) = 0.9434 0.2361 = 0.7073.

(b) P (X < 4) = P (X 3) = 0.4613.

(c) P (X > 5) = 1 P (X 5) = 1 0.8516 = 0.1484.

5.10 From Table A.1 with n = 12 and p = 0.7, we have

(a) P (7 X 9) = P (X 9) P (X 6) = 0.7472 0.1178 = 0.6294.

(b) P (X 5) = 0.0386.

(c) P (X 8) = 1 P (X 7) = 1 0.2763 = 0.7237.

5.11 From Table A.1 with n = 7 and p = 0.9, we have

P (X = 5) = P (X 5) P (X 4) = 0.1497 0.0257 = 0.1240.
5.12 From Table A.1 with n = 9 and p = 0.25, we have P (X < 4) = 0.8343.
5.13 From Table A.1 with n = 5 and p = 0.7, we have
P (X 3) = 1 P (X 2) = 1 0.1631 = 0.8369.
5.14 (a) n = 4, P (X = 4) = 1 0.3439 = 0.6561.

(b) Assuming the series went to the seventh game, the probability that the Bulls won
3 of the first 6 games and then the seventh game is given by
 

6
3
3
(0.9) (0.1) (0.9) = 0.0131.
3
(c) The probability that the Bulls win is always 0.9.

5.15 p = 0.4 and n = 5.

(a) P (X = 0) = 0.0778.
(b) P (X < 2) = P (X 1) = 0.3370.

(c) P (X > 3) = 1 P (X 3) = 1 0.9130 = 0.0870.

61

Solutions for Exercises in Chapter 5

5.16 Probability of 2 or more of 4 engines operating when p = 0.6 is

P (X 2) = 1 P (X 1) = 0.8208,
and the probability of 1 or more of 2 engines operating when p = 0.6 is
P (X 1) = 1 P (X = 0) = 0.8400.
The 2-engine plane has a slightly higher probability for a successful flight when p = 0.6.
5.17 Since = np = (5)(0.7) = 3.5 and 2 = npq = (5)(0.7)(0.3) = 1.05 with = 1.025.
Then 2 = 3.5 (2)(1.025) = 3.5 2.050 or from 1.45 to 5.55. Therefore, at least
3/4 of the time when 5 people are selected at random, anywhere from 2 to 5 are of the
opinion that tranquilizers do not cure but only cover up the real problem.
5.18 (a) = np = (15)(0.25) = 3.75.
p

(b) With k = 2 and = npq = (15)(0.25)(0.75) = 1.677, 2 = 3.75 3.354

or from 0.396 to 7.104.
5.19 Let X1 = number of times encountered green light with P (Green) = 0.35,
X2 = number of times encountered yellow light with P (Yellow) = 0.05, and
X3 = number of times encountered red light with P (Red) = 0.60. Then


n
f (x1 , x2 , x3 ) =
(0.35)x1 (0.05)x2 (0.60)x3 .
x1 , x2 , x3
5.20 (a)
(b)
(c)

10
2,5,3

(0.225)2(0.544)5 (0.231)3 = 0.0749.

10
(0.544)10 (0.456)0
10


10
(0.225)0 (0.775)10
0

= 0.0023.
= 0.0782.

5.21 Using the multinomial distribution with required probability is



7
(0.02)(0.82)4(0.1)2 = 0.0095.
0, 0, 1, 4, 2
5.22 Using the multinomial distribution, we have

8
5,2,1

(1/2)5 (1/4)2 (1/4) = 21/256.

5.23 Using the multinomial distribution, we have



9
(0.4)3(0.2)3 (0.3)(0.2)2 = 0.0077.
3, 3, 1, 2

5.24 p = 0.40 and n = 6, so P (X = 4) = P (X 4)P (X 3) = 0.95900.8208 = 0.1382.

5.25 n = 20 and the probability of a defective is p = 0.10. So, P (X 3) = 0.8670.

62

Chapter 5 Some Discrete Probability Distributions

5.26 n = 8 and p = 0.60;

(a) P (X = 6) =

8
6

(0.6)6 (0.4)2 = 0.2090.

(b) P (X = 6) = P (X 6) P (X 5) = 0.8936 0.6846 = 0.2090.

5.27 n = 20 and p = 0.90;
(a) P (X = 18) = P (X 18) P (X 17) = 0.6083 0.3231 = 0.2852.

(b) P (X 15) = 1 P (X 14) = 1 0.0113 = 0.9887.

(c) P (X 18) = 0.6083.

5.28 n = 20;
(a) p = 0.20, P (X x) 0.5 and P (X < x) > 0.5 yields x = 4.

(b) p = 0.80, P (Y y) 0.8 and P (Y < y) < 0.2 yields y = 14.

5.29 Using the hypergeometric distribution, we get
(a)

(122)(405)
= 0.3246.
(527)

(b) 1

(487)
= 0.4496.
(527)

5.30 P (X 1) = 1 P (X = 0) = 1 h(0; 15, 3, 6) = 1

(60)(93)
=
(153)

5.31 Using the hypergeometric distribution, we get h(2; 9, 6, 4) =

53
.
65

(42)(54)
=
(96)

5.32 (a) Probability that all 4 fire = h(4; 10, 4, 7) = 16 .

(b) Probability that at most 2 will not fire =

2
P

x=0
2
(x4)(3x
)
, for x = 1, 2, 3.
6
(3)
P (2 X 3) = h(2; 6, 3, 4) + h(3; 6, 3, 4) = 45 .

5.33 h(x; 6, 3, 4) =

5.34 h(2; 9, 5, 4) =
5.35 P (X 2) =

(42)(53)
=
(95)
2
P

10
.
21

h(x; 50, 5, 10) = 0.9517.

x=0

5.36 (a) P (X = 0) = h(0; 25, 3, 3) =

(b) P (X = 1) = h(1; 25, 3, 1) =

77
.
115
3
.
25

5.37 (a) P (X = 0) = b(0; 3, 3/25) = 0.6815.

h(x; 10, 4, 3) =

29
.
30

5
.
14