11WA: NORMAL DISTRIBUTION 1

Paper 1

1. Let X be normally distributed with mean 100 cm and standard deviation 5 cm.

(a) On the diagram below, shade the region representing P(X > 105).

(2)

(b) Given that P(X < d) = P(X > 105), find the value of d.
(2)

(c) Given that P(X > 105) = 0.16 (correct to two significant figures), find P(d < X < 105).
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

2. A random variable X is distributed normally with a mean of 100 and a variance of 100.

(a) Find the value of X that is 1.12 standard deviations above the mean.
(4)

(b) Find the value of X that is 1.12 standard deviations below the mean.
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

3. The heights of trees in a forest are normally distributed with mean height 17 metres. One tree is
selected at random. The probability that a selected tree has a height greater than 24 metres is
0.06.

(a) Find the probability that the tree selected has a height less than 24 metres.
(2)

(b) The probability that the tree has a height less than D metres is 0.06.
Find the value of D.
(3)

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 (c) A woodcutter randomly selects 200 trees. Find the expected number of trees whose height
lies between 17 metres and 24 metres.
(4)
(Total 9 marks)

Paper 2

4. A random variable X is distributed normally with a mean of 20 and variance 9.

(a) Find P(X ≤ 24.5).

(3)

(b) Let P(X ≤ k) = 0.85.

(i) Represent this information on the following diagram.

(ii) Find the value of k.

(5)
(Total 8 marks)

5. Let the random variable X be normally distributed with mean 25, as shown in the following
diagram.

The shaded region between 25 and 27 represents 30 % of the distribution.

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 (a) Find P(X > 27).
(2)

(b) Find the standard deviation of X.

(5)
(Total 7 marks)

6. The weights of players in a sports league are normally distributed with a mean of 76.6 kg,
(correct to three significant figures). It is known that 80 % of the players have weights between
68 kg and 82 kg. The probability that a player weighs less than 68 kg is 0.05.

(a) Find the probability that a player weighs more than 82 kg.
(2)

(b) (i) Write down the standardized value, z, for 68 kg.

(ii) Hence, find the standard deviation of weights.

(4)

To take part in a tournament, a player’s weight must be within 1.5 standard deviations of the
mean.

(c) (i) Find the set of all possible weights of players that take part in the tournament.

(ii) A player is selected at random. Find the probability that the player takes part in the
tournament.
(5)

Of the players in the league, 25 % are women. Of the women, 70 % take part in the tournament.

(d) Given that a player selected at random takes part in the tournament, find the probability
that the selected player is a woman.
(4)
(Total 15 marks)

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7. A random variable X is distributed normally with mean 450 and standard deviation 20.

(a) Find P(X ≤ 475).

(2)

(b) Given that P(X > a) = 0.27, find a.

(4)
(Total 6 marks)

8. A van can take either Route A or Route B for a particular journey.

If Route A is taken, the journey time may be assumed to be normally distributed with
mean 46 minutes and a standard deviation 10 minutes.

If Route B is taken, the journey time may be assumed to be normally distributed with
mean µ minutes and standard deviation 12 minutes.

(a) For Route A, find the probability that the journey takes more than 60 minutes.
(2)

(b) For Route B, the probability that the journey takes less than 60 minutes is 0.85.
Find the value of µ.
(3)

(c) The van sets out at 06:00 and needs to arrive before 07:00.

(i) Which route should it take?

(ii) Justify your answer.

(3)

(d) On five consecutive days the van sets out at 06:00 and takes Route B. Find the probability
that

(i) it arrives before 07:00 on all five days;

(ii) it arrives before 07:00 on at least three days.

(5)
(Total 13 marks)

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9. A box contains a large number of biscuits. The weights of biscuits are normally distributed with
mean 7 g and standard deviation 0.5 g.

(a) One biscuit is chosen at random from the box. Find the probability that this biscuit

(i) weighs less than 8 g;

(ii) weighs between 6 g and 8 g.

(4)

(b) Five percent of the biscuits in the box weigh less than d grams.

(i) Copy and complete the following normal distribution diagram, to represent this
information, by indicating d, and shading the appropriate region.

(ii) Find the value of d.

(5)

(c) The weights of biscuits in another box are normally distributed with mean  and standard
deviation 0.5 g. It is known that 20 of the biscuits in this second box weigh less than
5 g.

Find the value of .

(4)
(Total 13 marks)

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10. The heights of certain plants are normally distributed. The plants are classified into three
categories.

The shortest 12.92 are in category A.

The tallest 10.38 are in category C.
All the other plants are in category B with heights between r cm and t cm.

(a) Complete the following diagram to represent this information.

(2)

(b) Given that the mean height is 6.84 cm and the standard deviation 0.25 cm, find the value
of r and of t.
(5)
(Total 7 marks)

11. The scores of a test given to students are normally distributed with a mean of 21.
80 % of the students have scores less than 23.7.

(a) Find the standard deviation of the scores.

(3)

A student is chosen at random. This student has the same probability of having a score less than
25.4 as having a score greater than b.

(b) (i) Find the probability the student has a score less than 25.4.

(ii) Find the value of b.

(4)
(Total 7 marks)

12. The speeds of cars at a certain point on a straight road are normally distributed with mean μ and
standard deviation σ. 15 % of the cars travelled at speeds greater than 90 km h–1 and 12 % of
them at speeds less than 40 km h–1. Find μ and σ.
(Total 6 marks)

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