First Course in Statistics 12th Edition McClave Test Bank 1
First Course in Statistics 12th Edition McClave Test Bank 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the
question.
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9) 50 students were randomly sampled and asked questions about their exercise habits. One of the questions
they were asked concerned the frequency of exercise, defined to be the number of times they exercised in
a week. This variable would be characterized as which type of random variable?
A) discrete
B) continuous
Answer: A
10) The school newspaper surveyed 100 commuter students and asked two questions. First, students were
asked how many courses they were currently enrolled in. Second, the commuter students were asked to
estimate how long it took them to drive to campus. Considering these two variables, number of courses
would best be considered a variable and drive time would be considered a variable.
A) continuous; continuous
B) continuous; discrete
C) discrete; discrete
D) discrete; continuous
Answer: D
11) Management at a home improvement store randomly selected 135 customers and observed their shopping
habits. They recorded the number of items each of the customers purchased as well as the total time the
customers spent in the store. Identify the types of variables recorded by the managers of the home
improvement store.
A) number of items - discrete; total time - continuous
B) number of items - discrete; total time - discrete
C) number of items - continuous; total time - discrete
D) number of items - continuous; total time - continuous
Answer: A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
12) A coin is flipped 6 times. The variable x represents the number of tails obtained.
List the possible values of x. Is x discrete or continuous? Explain.
Answer: possible values of x: {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}; The variable x is discrete since it has a finite number of
distinct possible values.
13) A bottle contains 16 ounces of water. The variable x represents the volume, in ounces, of water remaining
in the bottle after the first drink is taken. What are the natural bounds for the values of x? Is x discrete or
continuous? Explain.
Answer: natural bounds for x: 0 ounces and 16 ounces; The variable x is continuous since the values of x
correspond to the points in some
interval.
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MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
14) A discrete random variable x can assume five possible values: 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Its probability distribution is
shown below. Find the probability for the value of x = 5.
x 2 3 5 8 10
p(x) 0.10 0.20 ??? 0.30 0.10
A) 0.1
B) 0.2
C) 0.3
D) 0.7
Answer: C
15) The Fresh Oven Bakery knows that the number of pies it can sell varies from day to day. The owner believes
that on 50% of the days she sells 100 pies. On another 25% of the days she sells 150 pies, and she sells 200 pies
on
the remaining 25% of the days. To make sure she has enough product, the owner bakes 200 pies each day at a
cost of $2.50 each. Assume any pies that go unsold are thrown out at the end of the day. If she sells the pies
for
$3 each, find the probability distribution for her daily profit.
A)
Profit P(profit)
$100 .5
$250 .25
$400 .25
B)
Profit P(profit)
$300 .5
$450 .25
$600 .25
C)
Profit P(profit)
$50 .5
$75 .25
$100 .25
D)
Profit P(profit)
-$200 .5
-$50 .25
$100 .25
Answer: D
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
16) Explain why the following is or is not a valid probability distribution for the discrete random variable x.
x 1 3 5 7 9
p(x) .1 .1 .2 .1 .2
Answer: This is not a valid probability distribution because the sum of the probabilities is less than 1.
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17) Explain why the following is or is not a valid probability distribution for the discrete random variable x.
x 1 0 1 2 3
p(x) .1 .2 .3 .3 .1
Answer: This is a valid probability distribution because the probabilities are all nonnegative and their sum
is 1.
18) Explain why the following is or is not a valid probability distribution for the discrete random variable x.
x 0 2 4 6 8
p(x) -.1 .1 .2 .3 .5
Answer: This is not a valid probability distribution because one of the probabilities given is
negative.
19) Explain why the following is or is not a valid probability distribution for the discrete random
variable x.
x 10 20 30 40 50
p(x) .3 .2 .2 .2 .2
Answer: This is not a valid probability distribution because the sum of the probabilities is greater than 1.
20) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Construct a graph for p(x).
x 1 2 3 4 5
p(x) .1 .2 .2 .3 .2
Answer:
5
21) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Construct a graph for p(x).
x 1 2 3 4 5 6
p(x) .30 .25 .20 .15 .05 .05
Answer:
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the
question.
22) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Find the probability that x equals 4.
x 3 4 7 8
P(x) 0.14 ? 0.02 0.22
A) 2.48
B) 0.62
C) 1.52
D) 0.38
Answer: B
23) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Find the probability that x exceeds 4.
x 2 4 7 9
P(x) 0.07 ? 0.31 0.03
A) 0.66
B) 0.59
C) 0.93
D) 0.34
Answer: D
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24) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Find P(x > 3).
x 1 2 3 4 5
p(x) .1 .2 .2 .3 .2
A) .7
B) .3
C) .2
D) .5
Answer: D
25) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Find P(x ≤ 4).
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
p(x) .30 .25 .20 .15 .05 .05
A) .05
B) .10
C) .95
D) .90
Answer: C
26) A discrete random variable x can assume five possible values: 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Its probability distribution is
shown below. Find the probability that the random variable x is a value greater than 5.
x 2 3 5 8 10
p(x) 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.30 0.10
A) 0.40
B) 0.30
C) 0.70
D) 0.60
Answer: A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
27) Consider the given discrete probability distribution. Find P(x < 2 or x > 3).
x 1 2 3 4 5
p(x) .1 .2 .2 .3 .2
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
p(x) .30 .25 .20 .15 .05 .05
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MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
29) A lab orders a shipment of 100 frogs each week. Prices for the weekly shipments of frogs follow the
distribution below:
How much should the lab budget for next year's frog orders assuming this distribution does not change?
(Hint:
Find the expected price and assume 52 weeks per year.)
A) $3,549,000.00
B) $682.50
C) $1313.00
D) $13.13
Answer: B
30) Mamma Temte bakes six pies each day at a cost of $2 each. On 39% of the days she sells only two pies. On
32% of the days, she sells 4 pies, and on the remaining 29% of the days, she sells all six pies. If Mama Temte
sells her pies for $6 each, what is her expected profit for a day's worth of pies? [Assume that any leftover
pies are given away.]
A) $22.80
B) -$6.00
C) $10.80
D) -$8.20
Answer: C
31) A local bakery has determined a probability distribution for the number of cheesecakes it sells in a given
day.
The distribution is as follows:
Find the number of cheesecakes that this local bakery expects to sell in a day.
A) 13.95
B) 10
C) 20
D) 14.05
Answer: A
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32) A dice game involves rolling three dice and betting on one of the six numbers that are on the dice. The
game costs $4 to play, and you win if the number you bet appears on any of the dice. The distribution
for the outcomes of the game (including the profit) is shown below:
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the
x $52 $505
p(x) 1/5 4/5
1 4
The expected cost is E(x) = μ = ∑x∙ p(x) = $52 5
+ $505
5
= $414.40
Since the expected cost is more than the usual one-way air fare, the passenger should not opt to fly
as a standby.
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35) An automobile insurance company estimates the following loss probabilities for the next year on a
$25,000 sports car:
Assuming the company will sell only a $500 deductible policy for this model (i.e., the owner covers the first
$500 damage), how much annual premium should the company charge in order to average $670 profit per
policy sold?
Answer: To determine the premium, the insurance agency must first determine the average loss paid on the
sports car. Let x = amount paid on the sports car loss. The probability distribution for x is:
Note: These losses paid have already considered the $500 deductible paid by the owner.
In order to average $670 profit per policy sold, the insurance company must charge an annual
premium of $632 + $670 = $1302.00.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
36) Calculate the mean for the discrete probability distribution shown here.
X 1 4 8 11
P(X) 0.08 0.18 0.27 0.47
A) 2.0325
B) 24
C) 8.13
D) 6
Answer: C
37) A discrete random variable x can assume five possible values: 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Its probability distribution is
shown below. Find the mean of the distribution.
x 2 3 5 8 10
p(x) 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.30 0.10
A) 5.0
B) 5.7
C) 5.6
D) 5.5
Answer: B
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38) A discrete random variable x can assume five possible values: 2, 3, 5, 8, 10. Its probability distribution is
shown below. Find the standard deviation of the distribution.
x 2 3 5 8 10
p(x) 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.30 0.10
A) 5.7
B) 1.845
C) 6.41
D) 2.532
Answer: D
39) A lab orders a shipment of 100 frogs each week. Prices for the weekly shipments of frogs follow the
distribution below:
Suppose the mean cost of the frogs is $12.75 per week. Interpret this value.
A) The frog cost that occurs more often than any other is $12.75.
B) The average cost for all weekly frog purchases is $12.75.
C) Most of the weeks resulted in frog costs of $12.75.
D) The median cost for the distribution of frog costs is $12.75.
Answer: B
40) The random variable x represents the number of boys in a family with three children. Assuming that
births of boys and girls are equally likely, find the mean and standard deviation for the random variable
x.
A) mean: 2.25; standard deviation: .76
B) mean: 1.50; standard deviation: .76
C) mean: 2.25; standard deviation: .87
D) mean: 1.50; standard deviation: .87
Answer: D
41) In a pizza takeout restaurant, the following probability distribution was obtained for the number of
toppings ordered on a large pizza. Find the mean and standard deviation for the random variable.
x P(x)
0 .30
1 .40
2 .20
3 .06
4 .04
A) mean: 1.14; standard deviation: 1.04
B) mean: 1.30; standard deviation: 1.54
C) mean: 1.30; standard deviation: 2.38
D) mean: 1.54; standard deviation: 1.30
Answer: A
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SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
42) Find the mean and standard deviation of the probability distribution for the random variable x,
which represents the number of cars per household in a small town.
x P(x)
0 .125
1 .428
2 .256
3 .108
4 .083
Answer: μ = 1.596; σ = 1.098
43) Calculate the mean for the discrete probability distribution shown here.
X 2 3 4 5
P(X) .2 .3 .3 .2
Answer: μ = ∑x ∙p(x) = 2(.2) + 3(.3) + 4(.3) +
5(.2)
= 3.5
x 1 2 3 4 5
p(x) .1 .2 .2 .3 .2
a. Find μ = E(x).
b. Find σ = E[(x - μ)2 ].
c. Find the probability that the value of x falls within one standard deviation of the mean. Compare this
result
to the Empirical Rule.
Answer: a. μ = E(x) = 1(.1) + 2(.2) + 3(.2) + 4(.3) + 5(.2) = 3.3
b. σ = 2.3 2 (.1) + 1.3 2 (.2) + 0.3 2 (.2) + 0.7 2 (.3) + 1.7 2 (.2) ≈ 1.27.
c. P(μ - σ < x < μ + σ) = P(2.03 < x < 4.57) = .2 + .3 = .5; The Empirical Rule states that about .68 of
the data lie within one standard deviation of the mean for a mound-shaped symmetric distribution.
For our distribution, this value is only .5, but it is not a surprise that these numbers aren't closer
since our distribution is not symmetric.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
45) A recent article in the paper claims that business ethics are at an all-time low. Reporting on a recent
sample, the paper claims that 39% of all employees believe their company president possesses low ethical
standards. Suppose 20 of a company's employees are randomly and independently sampled and asked if
they believe their company president has low ethical standards and their years of experience at the
company. Could the probability distribution for the number of years of experience be modelled by a
binomial probability distribution?
A) Yes, the sample size is n = 20.
B) Yes, the sample is a random and independent sample.
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C) No, the employees would not be considered independent in the present sample.
D) No, a binomial distribution requires only two possible outcomes for each experimental unit sampled.
Answer: D
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46) Which binomial probability is represented on the screen below?
A) P(x > 4)
B) P(x ≤ 4)
C) P(x < 4)
D) P(x = 4)
Answer: B
48) For a binomial distribution, which probability is not equal to the probability of 1 success in 5 trials
where the probability of success is .4?
A) the probability of 4 failures in 5 trials where the probability of failure is
.6
B) the probability of 4 failures in 5 trials where the probability of success is
.6
C) the probability of 4 failures in 5 trials where the probability of success is
.4
D) the probability of 1 success in 5 trials where the probability of failure is
.6
Answer: B
7!
49) Compute .
3!(7 - 3)!
A) 70
B) 840
C) 210
D) 35
Answer: D
14
9
50) Compute .
4
A) 15,120
B) 126
C) 84
D) 3024
Answer: B
5
51) Compute .
0
A) 1
B) 10
C) 5
D) undefined
Answer: A
4
52) Compute .
4
A) 4
B) 16
C) 1
D) 6
Answer: C
5
53) Compute .
4
A) 1
B) 5
C) 20
D) 10
Answer: B
54) A recent study suggested that 70% of all eligible voters will vote in the next presidential election.
Suppose 20 eligible voters were randomly selected from the population of all eligible voters. Which of
the following is necessary for this problem to be analyzed using the binomial random variable?
I. There are two outcomes possible for each of the 20 voters sampled.
II. The outcomes of the 20 voters must be considered independent of one another.
III. The probability a voter will actually vote is 0.70, the probability they won't is 0.30.
A) II only
B) I only
C) III only
D) I, II, and III
Answer: D
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
Solve the problem.
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57) Compute (.3)2 (.7)6-2 .
2
6 6!
Answer: 2 6-2 = (.3)2 (.7)4 = 15(.09)(.2401) ≈
2 (.3) (.7) 2!(6 - 2)!
.324
58) For a binomial distribution, if the probability of success is .63 on the first trial, what is the probability of
success
on the second trial?
Answer: Since the probability of success remains the same from trial to trial, the probability of success
on the second trial is also .63.
59) For a binomial distribution, if the probability of success is .48 on the first trial, what is the probability of
failure on the second trial?
Answer: Since the probability of success remains the same from trial to trial, the probability of success
on the second trial is .48, so the probability of failure on the second trial is 1 -.48 = .52.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the
64) We believe that 94% of the population of all Business Statistics students consider statistics to be an exciting
subject. Suppose we randomly and independently selected 38 students from the population and observed
fewer than five in our sample who consider statistics to be an exciting subject. Make an inference about the
belief that
94% of the students consider statistics to be an exciting
subject.
A) The 94% number is too high. The real percentage is lower than 94%.
B) The 94% number is exactly right.
C) The 94% number is too low. The real percentage is higher than 94%.
D) It is impossible to make any inferences about the 94% number based on this
information. Answer: A
65) We believe that 77% of the population of all Business Statistics students consider statistics to be an
exciting subject. Suppose we randomly and independently selected 24 students from the population. If
the true percentage is really 77%, find the probability of observing 23 or more students who consider
statistics to be an exciting subject. Round to six decimal places.
A) 0.013528
B) 0.984585
C) 0.015415
D) 0.001887
Answer: C
66) A literature professor decides to give a 10-question true-false quiz. She wants to choose the passing grade
such that the probability of passing a student who guesses on every question is less than .10. What score
should be set as the lowest passing grade?
A) 8
B) 9
C) 7
D) 6
Answer: A
67) A recent article in the paper claims that business ethics are at an all-time low. Reporting on a recent
sample, the paper claims that 44% of all employees believe their company president possesses low ethical
standards. Assume that responses were randomly and independently collected. A president of a local
company that employs 1,000 people does not believe the paper's claim applies to her company. If the claim
is true, how many of her company's employees believe that she possesses low ethical standards?
A) 560
B) 44
C) 956
D) 440
Answer: D
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68) A recent article in the paper claims that business ethics are at an all-time low. Reporting on a recent
sample, the paper claims that 37% of all employees believe their company president possesses low ethical
standards. Suppose 20 of a company's employees are randomly and independently sampled. Assuming
the paper's claim is correct, find the probability that more than eight but fewer than 12 of the 20 sampled
believe the company's president possesses low ethical standards. Round to six decimal places.
A) 0.269668
B) 0.462968
C) 0.182165
D) 0.378753
Answer: A
69) A recent study suggested that 70% of all eligible voters will vote in the next presidential election.
Suppose 20 eligible voters were randomly selected from the population of all eligible voters. Use a
binomial probability table to find the probability that more than 12 of the eligible voters sampled will
vote in the next presidential election.
A) 0.887
B) 0.392
C) 0.608
D) 0.772
E) 0.228
Answer: D
70) A recent study suggested that 70% of all eligible voters will vote in the next presidential election.
Suppose 20 eligible voters were randomly selected from the population of all eligible voters. Use a
binomial probability
table to find the probability that more than 10 but fewer than 16 of the 20 eligible voters sampled will vote
in the next presidential election.
A) 0.714
B) 0.780
C) 0.845
D) 0.649
Answer: A
71) It a recent study of college students indicated that 30% of all college students had at least one tattoo. A
small private college decided to randomly and independently sample 15 of their students and ask if they
have a tattoo. Use a binomial probability table to find the probability that exactly 5 of the students
reported that they did have at least one tattoo.
A) 0.218
B) 0.207
C) 0.515
D) 0.722
Answer: B
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SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the
question.
72) About 40% of the general population donate time and energy to community projects. Suppose 15 people
have been randomly selected from a community and each asked whether he or she donates time and
energy to community projects. Let x be the number who donate time and energy to community projects.
Use a binomial probability table to find the probability that more than five of the 15 donate time and
energy to community projects.
Answer: X is a binomial random variable with n = 15 and p = 0.4.
73) An automobile manufacturer has determined that 30% of all gas tanks that were installed on its 2002
compact model are defective. If 15 of these cars are independently sampled, what is the probability that
more than half need new gas tanks?
Answer: Let x = the number of the 15 cars with defective gas tanks. Then X is a binomial random variable
with
n = 15 and p = .30.
P(more than half) = P(x > 7.5) = P(x ≥ 8) = 1 - P(x ≤ 7) = 1 - 0.950 = 0.05
74) A new drug is designed to reduce a person's blood pressure. Twenty randomly selected hypertensive
patients receive the new drug. Suppose the probability that a hypertensive patient's blood pressure drops
if he or she is untreated is 0.5. Then what is the probability of observing 18 or more blood pressure drops in
a random sample of 20 treated patients if the new drug is in fact ineffective in reducing blood pressure?
Round to six decimal places.
Answer: Let x = the number of the 20 hypertensive patients whose blood pressure drops.
Then X is a binomial random variable with n = 20 and p = .5.
75) A local newspaper claims that 70% of the items advertised in its classifieds section are sold within 1 week
of the first appearance of the ad. To check the validity of the claim, the newspaper randomly selected n = 25
advertisements from last year's classifieds and contacted the people who placed the ads. They found that
20 of the 25 items sold within a week. Based on the newspaper's claim, is it likely to observe x ≤ 20 who
sold their
item within a week? Use a binomial probability table.
Answer: Let x = the number of the 25 ads that resulted in the item being sold within a week.
Then X is a binomial random variable with n = 25 and p = 0.70.
A value of x that is less than or equal to 20 will occur in about 91% of all such samples.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the
question.
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77) If x is a binomial random variable, calculate σ2 for n = 75 and p = 0.4.
A) 30
B) 4.243
C) 12
D) 18
Answer: D
78) If x is a binomial random variable, calculate σ for n = 50 and p = 0.8. Round to three decimal places
when necessary.
A) 6.325
B) 40
C) 8
D) 2.828
Answer: D
79) The probability that an individual is left-handed is 0.15. In a class of 60 students, what is the mean and
standard deviation of the number of left-handed students? Round to the nearest hundredth when
necessary.
A) mean: 60; standard deviation: 2.77
B) mean: 9; standard deviation: 2.77
C) mean: 9; standard deviation: 3
D) mean: 60; standard deviation: 3
Answer: B
80) A recent survey found that 70% of all adults over 50 wear glasses for driving. In a random sample of 40
adults over 50, what is the mean and standard deviation of the number who wear glasses? Round to the
nearest hundredth when necessary.
A) mean: 28; standard deviation: 2.9
B) mean: 28; standard deviation: 5.29
C) mean: 12; standard deviation: 5.29
D) mean: 12; standard deviation: 2.9
Answer: A
81) According to a published study, 1 in every 10 men has been involved in a minor traffic accident. Suppose
we have randomly and independently sampled twenty-five men and asked each whether he has been
involved in a minor traffic accident. How many of the 25 men do we expect to have never been involved in
a minor traffic accident? Round to the nearest whole number.
A) 25
B) 10
C) 3
D) 22
Answer: D
82) We believe that 81% of the population of all Business Statistics students consider statistics to be an
exciting subject. Suppose we randomly and independently selected 39 students from the population.
How many of the sampled students do we expect to consider statistics to be an exciting subject?
A) 31.59
B) 39
C) 33.82
D) 32.16
Answer: A
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83) A recent study suggested that 70% of all eligible voters will vote in the next presidential election.
Suppose 20 eligible voters were randomly selected from the population of all eligible voters. How many
of the sampled voters do we expect to vote in the next presidential election?
A) 0.7
B) 0.3
C) 6
D) 14
Answer: D
84) It a recent study of college students indicated that 30% of all college students had at least one tattoo. A
small private college decided to randomly and independently sample 15 of their students and ask if
they have a tattoo. Find the standard deviation for this binomial random variable. Round to the nearest
hundredth when necessary.
A) 10.5
B) 3.15
C) 1.77
D) 4.5
Answer: C
86) For any continuous probability distribution, P(x = c) = 0 for all values of c.
A) True
B) False
Answer: A
88) For a continuous probability distribution, the probability that x is between a and b is the same
regardless of whether or not you include the endpoints, a and b, of the interval.
A) True
B) False
Answer: A
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90) Use the standard normal distribution to find P(-2.25 < z < 0).
A) .4878
B) .0122
C) .6831
D) .5122
Answer: A
91) Use the standard normal distribution to find P(-2.25 < z < 1.25).
A) .8821
B) .8944
C) .0122
D) .4878
Answer: A
92) Use the standard normal distribution to find P(-2.50 < z < 1.50).
A) .6167
B) .8822
C) .5496
D) .9270
Answer: D
93) Use the standard normal distribution to find P(z < -2.33 or z > 2.33).
A) .7888
B) .0606
C) .9809
D) .0198
Answer: D
94) Find a value of the standard normal random variable z, called z 0 , such that P(-z0 ≤ z ≤ z0 ) = 0.98.
A) 1.96
B) 2.33
C) .99
D) 1.645
Answer: B
95) Find a value of the standard normal random variable z, called z 0 , such that P(z ≥ z0 ) = 0.70.
A) -.81
B) -.98
C) -.53
D) -.47
Answer: C
96) Find a value of the standard normal random variable z, called z 0 , such that P(z ≤ z 0 ) = 0.70.
A) .53
B) .81
C) .47
D) .98
Answer: A
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97) Which shape is used to represent areas for a normal distribution?
A) Triangle
B) Rectangle
C) Bell curve
D) Circle
Answer: C
98) For a standard normal random variable, find the probability that z exceeds the value -1.65.
A) 0.5495
B) 0.4505
C) 0.0495
D) 0.9505
Answer: D
99) For a standard normal random variable, find the point in the distribution in which 11.9% of the z-
values fall below.
A) 1.18
B) -1.45
C) -0.30
D) -1.18
Answer: D
101) P(-1 < x < 0) = P(0 < x < 1) for any random variable x that is normally distributed.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B
102) Nearly 100% of the observed occurrences of a random variable x that is normally distributed will fall
within three standard deviations of the mean of the distribution of x.
A) True
B) False
Answer: A
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104) A physical fitness association is including the mile run in its secondary-school fitness test. The time for
this event for boys in secondary school is known to possess a normal distribution with a mean of 460
seconds and a standard deviation of 40 seconds. The fitness association wants to recognize the fastest 10%
of the boys with certificates of recognition. What time would the boys need to beat in order to earn a
certificate of recognition from the fitness association?
A) 408.8
seconds B)
525.8 seconds
C) 394.2
seconds D)
511.2 seconds
Answer: A
105) A physical fitness association is including the mile run in its secondary-school fitness test. The time for
this event for boys in secondary school is known to possess a normal distribution with a mean of 440
seconds and a standard deviation of 60 seconds. Between what times do we expect approximately 95% of
the boys to run the mile?
A) between 322.4 and 557.6 seconds
B) between 341.3 and 538.736 seconds
C) between 0 and 538.736 seconds
D) between 345 and 535 seconds
Answer: A
106) The weight of corn chips dispensed into a 24-ounce bag by the dispensing machine has been identified
as possessing a normal distribution with a mean of 24.5 ounces and a standard deviation of 0.2 ounce.
What proportion of the 24-ounce bags contain more than the advertised 24 ounces of chips?
A) .5062
B) .9938
C) .0062
D) .4938
Answer: B
107) The volume of soda a dispensing machine pours into a 12-ounce can of soda follows a normal distribution
with a mean of 12.42 ounces and a standard deviation of 0.28 ounce. The company receives complaints
from consumers who actually measure the amount of soda in the cans and claim that the volume is less
than the advertised 12 ounces. What proportion of the soda cans contain less than the advertised 12 ounces
of soda?
A) .9332
B) .0668
C) .5668
D) .4332
Answer: B
108) The amount of soda a dispensing machine pours into a 12-ounce can of soda follows a normal distribution
with a mean of 12.09 ounces and a standard deviation of 0.06 ounce. Each can holds a maximum of 12.15
ounces of soda. Every can that has more than 12.15 ounces of soda poured into it causes a spill and the can
must go through a special cleaning process before it can be sold. What is the probability that a randomly
selected can
will need to go through this process?
A) .8413
B) .6587
C) .1587
25
D) .3413
Answer: C
26
109) The amount of soda a dispensing machine pours into a 12-ounce can of soda follows a normal distribution
with a standard deviation of 0.24 ounce. Every can that has more than 12.60 ounces of soda poured into it
causes a spill and the can must go through a special cleaning process before it can be sold. What is the
mean amount of soda the machine should dispense if the company wants to limit the percentage that must
be cleaned because of spillage to 3%?
A) 13.1208
ounces B) 13.0512
ounces C)
12.1488 ounces
D) 12.0792
ounces
Answer: C
110) Before a new phone system was installed, the amount a company spent on personal calls followed a
normal distribution with an average of $400 per month and a standard deviation of $50 per month. Refer
to such expenses as PCE's (personal call expenses). Using the distribution above, what is the probability
that during a randomly selected month PCE's were between $275.00 and $490.00?
A) .0001
B) .0421
C) .9999
D) .9579
Answer: D
111) Before a new phone system was installed, the amount a company spent on personal calls followed a
normal distribution with an average of $400 per month and a standard deviation of $50 per month. Refer to
such expenses as PCE's (personal call expenses). Find the point in the distribution below which 2.5% of the
PCE's fell.
A) $498.00
B) $10.00
C) $302.00
D) $390.00
Answer: C
112) Before a new phone system was installed, the amount a company spent on personal calls followed a
normal distribution with an average of $600 per month and a standard deviation of $50 per month.
Refer to such expenses as PCE's (personal call expenses). Find the probability that a randomly selected
month had PCE's below $450.
A) 0.2500
B) 0.9987
C) 0.7500
D) 0.0013
Answer: D
113) The preventable monthly loss at a company has a normal distribution with a mean of $8400 and a
standard deviation of $40. A new policy was put into place, and the preventable loss the next month
was $8160. What inference can you make about the new policy?
A) While the probability that the monthly loss would be as low as $8160 is small, it is not unexpected.
B) Because the probability that the monthly loss would be as low as $8160 is small, the new policy is
working.
C) Because the probability that the monthly loss would be as low as $8160 is not very small, the new
policy is
not working.
D) The new policy is probably less effective than the one it replaced.
27
Answer: B
28
114) The tread life of a particular brand of tire is a random variable best described by a normal distribution
with a mean of 60,000 miles and a standard deviation of 1200 miles. What is the probability a particular
tire of this brand will last longer than 58,800 miles?
A) .2266
B) .1587
C) .7266
D) .8413
Answer: D
115) The tread life of a particular brand of tire is a random variable best described by a normal distribution
with a mean of 60,000 miles and a standard deviation of 2100 miles. What is the probability a certain tire of
this brand will last between 55,590 miles and 56,220 miles?
A) .0180
B) .4920
C) .9813
D) .4649
Answer: A
116) The tread life of a particular brand of tire is a random variable best described by a normal distribution
with a mean of 60,000 miles and a standard deviation of 2900 miles. What warranty should the company
use if they want 96% of the tires to outlast the warranty?
A) 65,075
miles B) 54,925
miles C) 62,900
miles D)
57,100 miles
Answer: B
117) The price of a gallon of milk follows a normal distribution with a mean of $3.20 and a standard deviation
of
$0.10. Find the price for which 12.3% of milk vendors exceeded.
A) $3.084
B) $3.316
C) $3.238
D) $3.215
Answer: B
118) The price of a gallon of milk follows a normal distribution with a mean of $3.20 and a standard deviation
of
$0.10. What proportion of the milk vendors had prices that were less than $3.075 per gallon?
A) 0.2112
B) 0.3944
C) 0.1056
D) 0.8944
Answer: C
29
119) A paint machine dispenses dye into paint cans to create different shades of paint. The amount of dye
dispensed into a can is known to have a normal distribution with a mean of 5 milliliters (ml) and a
standard deviation of
0.4 ml. Answer the following questions based on this information. What proportion of the paint cans contain
less than 5.54 ml of the dye?
A) 0.9885
B) 0.5885
C) 0.9115
D) 0.0885
Answer: C
120) A paint machine dispenses dye into paint cans to create different shades of paint. The amount of dye
dispensed into a can is known to have a normal distribution with a mean of 5 milliliters (ml) and a
standard deviation of
0.4 ml. Answer the following questions based on this information. Find the dye amount that represents
the 9th percentile of the distribution.
A) 4.464 ml
B) 4.936 ml
C) 4.836 ml
D) 4.964 ml
E) 5.536 ml
Answer: A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
121) The rate of return for an investment can be described by a normal distribution with mean 36% and
standard deviation 3%. What is the probability that the rate of return for the investment will be at least
31.5%?
Answer: Let x be the rate of return. Then x is a normal random variable with μ = 36% and σ = 3%. To
determine the probability that x is at least 31.5%, we need to find the z-value for x = 31.5%.
x-μ 31.5- 36
z= = = -1.5
σ 3
122) The rate of return for an investment can be described by a normal distribution with mean 50% and
standard deviation 3%. What is the probability that the rate of return for the investment exceeds 56%?
Answer: Let x be the rate of return. Then x is a normal random variable with μ = 50% and σ = 3%. To
determine the probability that x exceeds 56%, we need to find the z-value for x = 56%.
x-μ 56- 50
z= = =2
σ 3
30
123) The board of examiners that administers the real estate broker's examination in a certain state found that
the mean score on the test was 500 and the standard deviation was 72. If the board wants to set the passing
score so that only the best 10% of all applicants pass, what is the passing score? Assume that the scores are
normally distributed.
Answer: Let x be a score on this exam. Then x is a normally distributed random variable with μ = 500 and σ
= 72.
We want to find the value of x 0 , such that P(x > x 0 ) = .10. The z-score for the value x =
x 0 is
x0 - μ x 0 - 500
z= = .
σ 72
x 0 - 500
P(x > x0 ) = P z > = .10
72
x 0 - 500
We find ≈ 1.28.
72
124) The board of examiners that administers the real estate broker's examination in a certain state found that
the mean score on the test was 489 and the standard deviation was 72. If the board wants to set the passing
score so that only the best 80% of all applicants pass, what is the passing score? Assume that the scores are
normally distributed.
Answer: Let x be a score on this exam. Then x is a normally distributed random variable with μ = 489 and σ
= 72.
We want to find the value of x0 , such that P(x > x 0 ) = .80. The z-score for the value x = x 0 is
x0 - μ x 0 - 489
z= = .
σ 72
x 2 - 489
P(x > x0 ) = P z > = .80
72
x 0 - 489
We find ≈ -.84.
72
125) The tread life of a particular brand of tire is a random variable best described by a normal distribution with
a mean of 60,000 miles and a standard deviation of 4700 miles. If the manufacturer guarantees the tread life
of the tires for the first 54,360 miles, what proportion of the tires will need to be replaced under warranty?
Answer: Let x be the tread life of this brand of tire. Then x is a normal random variable with μ = 60,000 and
σ = 4700. To determine what proportion of tires fail before reaching 54,360 miles, we need to find the
z-value for x = 54,360.
x - μ 54,360- 60,000
z= = = -1.20
σ 4700
31
P(x ≤ 54,360) = P(z ≤ -1.20) = .5 - P(-1.20 ≤ z ≤ 0) = .5 - .3849 = .1151
32
126) Farmers often sell fruits and vegetables at roadside stands during the summer. One such roadside stand
has a daily demand for tomatoes that is approximately normally distributed with a mean of 595
tomatoes and a standard deviation of 30 tomatoes. If there are 553 tomatoes available to be sold at the
roadside stand at the beginning of a day, what is the probability that they will all be sold?
Answer: Let x be the number of tomatoes sold per day. Then x is a normal random variable with μ = 595
and σ = 30.
To determine the probability that all 553 tomatoes will be sold, we need to find the z-value for x =
553.
127) Farmers often sell fruits and vegetables at roadside stands during the summer. One such roadside stand has
a daily demand for tomatoes that is approximately normally distributed with a mean of 120 tomatoes and
a standard deviation of 30 tomatoes. How many tomatoes must be available on any given day so that there
is only a 1.5% chance that all tomatoes will be sold?
Answer: Let x be the number of tomatoes sold per day. Then x is a normal random variable with μ = 120
and σ = 30.
We want to find the value x 0 , such that P(x > x0 ) = .015. The z-value for the point x = x 0 is
x - μ x 0- 120
z= = .
σ 30
x 0 - 120
P(x > x0 ) = P(z > )= .015
30
x 0 - 120
We find = 2.17
30
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
128) Suppose a random variable x is best described by a normal distribution with μ = 60 and σ = 4. Find the z-
score that corresponds to the value x = 64.
A) 4
B) 1
C) 15
D) 64
Answer: B
33
129) Suppose a random variable x is best described by a normal distribution with μ = 60 and σ = 9. Find the z-
score that corresponds to the value x = 96.
A) 36
5
B)
3
C) 9
D) 4
Answer: D
130) Suppose a random variable x is best described by a normal distribution with μ = 60 and σ = 8. Find the z-
score that corresponds to the value x = 60.
A) 1
B) 8
C) 0
15
D)
2
Answer: C
131) Suppose a random variable x is best described by a normal distribution with μ = 60 and σ = 16. Find the z-
score that corresponds to the value x = 0.
A) -3.75
B) -16
C) 16
D) 3.75
Answer: A
132) IQ test scores are normally distributed with a mean of 102 and a standard deviation of 17. An individual's
IQ
score is found to be 127. Find the z-score corresponding to this value.
A) 0.68
B) -0.68
C) 1.47
D) -1.47
Answer: C
34
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
133) You are performing a study about the weight of preschoolers. A previous study found the weights to be
normally distributed with a mean of 30 pounds and a standard deviation of 4 pounds. You randomly
sample 30 preschool children and find their weights (in pounds) to be as follows.
Draw a histogram to display the data. Is it reasonable to assume that the weights are normally distributed?
Why?
Answer:
It is not reasonable to assume that the heights are normally distributed since the histogram is
not mound-shaped and symmetric about the mean of 31 pounds.
134) The printout below contains summary statistics of the heights of a sample of 200 adult men in the United
States.
Descriptive Statistics: HT
Use the information in the printout to determine whether the distribution of heights is approximately
normal.
Explain your reasoning.
IQR 71.500- 67.875
Answer: = ≈ 1.33; Since this number is reasonably close to 1.3, the distribution of
heights is
s 2.176
approximately normal.
35
135) The following data represent the scores of a sample of 50 students on a statistics exam. The mean score is
x = 80.3, and the standard deviation is s = 11.37.
49 51 59 63 66 68 68 69 70 71
71 71 73 74 76 76 76 77 78 79
79 79 79 80 80 82 83 83 83 85
85 86 86 88 88 88 88 89 89 89
90 91 92 92 93 95 96 97 97 98
What percentage of the scores fall in each of the intervals x ± s, x ± 2s, and x ± 3s? Based on these percentages,
do
you believe that the distribution of scores is approximately normal? Explain.
Answer: The percentages are 70%, 96%, and 100%, respectively. Since these percentages are reasonably close
to
68%, 95%, and 100%, we conclude that the distribution of scores is approximately
normal.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
136) Which of the following statements is not a property of the normal curve?
A) mound-shaped (or bell
shaped) B) P(μ - 3σ < x < μ + 3σ) ≈
.997
C) symmetric about μ
D) P(μ - σ < x < μ + σ) ≈ .95
Answer: D
137) Which of the following is not a method used for determining whether data are from an approximately
normal distribution?
A) Construct a histogram or stem-and-leaf display. The shape of the graph or display should be uniform
(evenly
distributed).
IQR
B) Find the interquartile range, IQR, and standard deviation, s, for the sample. Then ≈ 1.3.
s
C) Construct a normal probability plot. The points should fall approximately on a straight line.
D) Compute the intervals x ± s, x ± 2s, and x ± 3s. The percentages of measurements falling in each
should be approximately 68%, 95%, and 100% respectively.
Answer: A
138) Which one of the following suggests that the data set is approximately normal?
A) A data set with Q1 = 1330, Q3 = 2940, and s =
2440. B) A data set with Q1 = 105, Q3 = 270, and s =
33.
C) A data set with Q1 = 2.2, Q3 = 7.3, and s =
2.1. D) A data set with Q1 = 14, Q3 = 68, and s
= 41.
Answer: D
36
139) Which one of the following suggests that the data set is not approximately normal?
A)
Stem Leaves
3 0 3 9
4 2 4 7 7
5 1 3 4 8 8 9 9 9
6 0 0 5 6 6 7 8
7 1 1 5
8 2 7
140) If a data set is normally distributed, what is the proportion of measurements you would expect to fall
within
μ ± σ?
A) 50%
B) 68%
C) 95%
D) 100%
Answer: B
141) A statistician received some data to analyze. The sender of the data suggested that the data was
normally distributed. Which of the following methods can be used to determine if the data is, in fact,
normally distributed?
I. Construct a histogram and/or stem-and-leaf display of the data and check the shape.
II. Compute the intervals x ± s, x ± 2s, and x ± 3s, and determine the percentage of measurements falling
in each. Compare these percentages to 68%, 95%, and 100%.
IQR
III. Calculate a value of . If this value is approximately 1.3, then the data is
normal. s
IV. Construct a normal probability plot of the data. If the points fall on a straight line, then the
data is normal.
A) III only
B) IV only
C) I, II, III, and IV
D) II only
E) I only
Answer: C
37
142) Data has been collected and a normal probability plot for one of the variables is shown below. Based on
your knowledge of normal probability plots, do you believe the variable in question is normally
distributed? The data are represented by the"o" symbols in the plot.
A) No. The plot does not reveal a straight line and this indicates the variable is not normally
distributed. B) Yes. The plot reveals a curve and this indicates the variable is normally distributed.
C) Yes. The plot reveals a straight line and this indicates the variable is normally
distributed. Answer: A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the
145) Determine if it is appropriate to use the normal distribution to approximate a binomial distribution when n
= 34 and p = 0.7.
Answer: can use normal distribution
38
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
146) A study of college students stated that 25% of all college students have at least one tattoo. In a random
sample of 80 college students, let x be the number of the students that have at least one tattoo. Can the
normal approximation be used to estimate the binomial distribution in this problem?
A) No
B) Yes
Answer: B
149) Assume that x is a binomial random variable with n = 400 and p = 0.30. Use a normal approximation to
find
P(x ≥ 110).
A) 0.3749
B) 0.5517
C) 0.8508
D) 0.8749
Answer: D
150) Assume that x is a binomial random variable with n = 100 and p = 0.60. Use a normal approximation to
find
P(x ≤ 48).
A) 0.0054
B) 0.4906
C) 0.3156
D) 0.0094
Answer: D
151) Assume that x is a binomial random variable with n = 100 and p = 0.60. Use a normal approximation to
find
P(x < 48).
A) 0.0054
B) 0.4946
C) 0.3015
D) 0.0094
39
Answer: A
40
152) Assume that x is a binomial random variable with n = 1000 and p = 0.80. Use a normal approximation to
find
P(800 < x ≤ 830).
A) 0.4741
B) 0.4760
C) 0.4920
D) 0.0753
Answer: B
154) Transportation officials tell us that 80% of drivers wear seat belts while driving. What is the
probability of observing 518 or fewer drivers wearing seat belts in a sample of 700 drivers?
A) 0.2
B) approximately 1
C) approximately 0
D) 0.8
Answer: C
155) Transportation officials tell us that 60% of drivers wear seat belts while driving. What is the probability
that between 364 and 374 drivers in a sample of 650 drivers wear seat belts?
A) 0.8925
B) 0.0905
C) 0.0170
D) 0.1075
Answer: B
156) A certain baseball player hits a home run in 4% of his at-bats. Consider his at-bats as independent events.
Find the probability that this baseball player hits more than 16 home runs in 650 at-bats?
A) 0.0287
B) 0.04
C) 0.96
D) 0.9713
Answer: D
157) A certain baseball player hits a home run in 4% of his at-bats. Consider his at-bats as independent events.
Find the probability that this baseball player hits at most 16 home runs in 650 at-bats?
A) 0.0287
B) 0.9713
C) 0.96
D) 0.04
Answer: A
41
158) A study of college students stated that 25% of all college students have at least one tattoo. In a random
sample of 80 college students, let x be the number of the students that have at least one tattoo. Find the
approximate probability that more than 30 of the sampled students had at least one tattoo.
A) 0.9929
B) 0.0034
C) 0.4929
D) 0.0071
Answer: B
159) A study of college students stated that 25% of all college students have at least one tattoo. In a random
sample of 80 college students, let x be the number of the students that have at least one tattoo. Find the
approximate probability that more than 17 and less than 26 of the sampled students had at least one
tattoo.
A) 0.1800
B) 0.4222
C) 0.2422
D) 0.6644
Answer: D
160) A certain baseball player hits a home run in 8% of his at-bats. Consider his at-bats as independent events.
How many home runs do we expect the baseball player to hit in 850 at-bats?
A) 62.56
B) 68
C) 858
D) 8
Answer: B
161) A study of college students stated that 25% of all college students have at least one tattoo. In a random
sample of 80 college students, let x be the number of the students that have at least one tattoo. Find the
mean and standard deviation for this binomial distribution.
A) Mean = 20, Standard Deviation = 3.87
B) Mean = 80, Standard Deviation = 3.87
C) Mean = 20, Standard Deviation = 15
D) Mean = 80, Standard Deviation = 15
Answer: A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
162) It is against the law to discriminate against job applicants because of race, religion, sex, or age. Of the
individuals who apply for an accountant's position in a large corporation, 43% are over 45 years old. If the
company decides to choose 40 of a very large number of applicants for closer credential screening, claiming
that the selection will be random and not age-biased, what is the z-value associated with fewer than 18 of
those chosen being over 45 years old? (Assume that the applicant pool is large enough so that x, the
number in the sample over 45 years old, has a binomial probability distribution.)
Answer: x is a binomial random variable with n = 40 and p = 0.43.
(x + .5)- np (18+ .5)- 40(0.43)
z= = = 0.42
np(1 - p) 40(0.43)(1 - 0.43)
42
163) A loan officer has 56 loan applications to screen during the next week. If past record indicates that she
turns down 16% of the applicants, what is the z-value associated with 51 or more of the 56 applications
being rejected?
Answer: Let x be the number of the 56 applications rejected. Then x is a binomial random variable with n = 56
and
p = 0.16.
164) Suppose that 88% of the stocks listed on a particular exchange increased in value yesterday. Let x be the
number
of stocks that increased in value yesterday in a random of 72 stocks listed on the exchange. Find the mean and
standard deviation of x.
Answer: Mean = μ = .88(72) = 63.36; standard deviation = σ = 72(.88)(.12) ≈ 2.76
165) Suppose that 67% of the employees of a company participate in the company's medical savings program.
Let x be the number of employees who participate in the program in a random sample of 50 employees.
Find the mean and standard deviation of x.
Answer: Mean = μ = .67(72) = 33.5; standard deviation = σ = 50(.67)(.33) ≈ 3.32
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the
167) The probability of success, p, in a binomial experiment is a parameter, while the mean and standard
deviation, μ and σ, are statistics.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B
169) The term statistic refers to a population quantity, and the term parameter refers to a sample quantity.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B
170) When estimating the population mean, the sample mean is always a better estimate than the sample median.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B
43
171) Sample statistics are random variables, because different samples can lead to different values of the
sample statistics.
A) True
B) False
Answer: A
172) If x is a good estimator for μ, then we expect the values of x to cluster around μ.
A) True
B) False
Answer: A
173) The sampling distribution of a sample statistic calculated from a sample of n measurements is the
probability distribution of the statistic.
A) True
B) False
Answer: A
x 0 2 4
p(x) 1/3 1/3 1/3
Suppose that we took repeated random samples of n = 2 observations from the population described
above. Which of the following would represent the sampling distribution of the sample mean?
A) xk 0 1 2 3 4
p(x) 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5
B) xk 0 1 2 3 4
p(x) 2/9 2/9 1/9 2/9 2/9
C) xk 0 1 2 3 4
p(x) 1/9 2/9 3/9 2/9 1/9
D) xk 0 2 4
p(x) 1/3 1/3 1/3
Answer: C
44
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
x 2 5 7
p(x) .2 .5 .3
The random variable x is observed twice. The observations are independent. The different samples of size
2
and their probabilities are shown below.
177) The probability distribution shown below describes a population of measurements that can assume values
of 3,
5, 7, and 9, each of which occurs with the same frequency:
x 3 5 7 9
1 1 1 1
p(x)
4 4 4 4
Consider taking samples of n = 2 measurements and calculating x for each sample. Construct the
probability histogram for the sampling distribution of x.
Answer:
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
45
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
x 0 2 4
p(x) 1/3 1/3 1/3
Suppose that we took repeated random samples of n = 2 observations from the population described
above. Find the expected value of the sampling distribution of the sample mean.
A) 3
B) 0
C) 4
D) 1
E) 2
Answer: E
x 4 5 6 7 8
p(x) 1/9 2/9 3/9 2/9 1/9
Find the expected value of the sampling distribution of the sample mean.
A) 4
B) 6
C) 5
D) 7
Answer: B
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
180) The probability distribution shown below describes a population of measurements that can assume values
of 1,
4, 7, and 10, each of which occurs with the same frequency:
x 1 4 7 10
1 1 1 1
p(x)
4 4 4 4
Find E(x) = μ. Then consider taking samples of n = 2 measurements and calculating x for each sample.
Find the expected value, E(x), of x.
1 1 1 1
Answer: E(x) = (1)( ) + (4)( ) + (7)( ) + (10)( ) = 5.5
4 4 4 4
1 5 2 3 5.5 4 3 17 2 1
E(x) = (1)( ) + ( )( ) + (4)( ) + ( )( ) + (7)( ) + ( )( ) + (10)( ) = 5.5
16 2 16 16 2 16 16 2 16 16
46
181) Consider the probability distribution shown here.
x 7 9 11
1 1 1
p(x)
3 3 3
Let x be the sample mean for random samples of n = 2 measurements from this distribution. Find E(x) and
E(x).
1 1 1
Answer: E(x) = μ = (7)( ) + (9)( ) + (11)( ) = 9
3 3 3
1 2 3 2 1
E(x) = (7)( ) + (8)( ) + (9)( ) + (10)( ) + (11)( ) = 9
9 9 9 9 9
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
182) The Central Limit Theorem states that the sampling distribution of the sample mean is approximately
normal under certain conditions. Which of the following is a necessary condition for the Central Limit
Theorem to be used?
A) The sample size must be large (e.g., at least 30).
B) The population from which we are sampling must not be normally distributed.
C) The population size must be large (e.g., at least 30).
D) The population from which we are sampling must be normally distributed.
Answer: A
184) Which of the following statements about the sampling distribution of the sample mean is incorrect?
A) The mean of the sampling distribution is μ.
B) The sampling distribution is generated by repeatedly taking samples of size n and computing the
sample
means.
C) The standard deviation of the sampling distribution is σ.
D) The sampling distribution is approximately normal whenever the sample size is sufficiently large (n ≥
30).
Answer: C
185) Which of the following does the Central Limit Theorem allow us to disregard when working with the
sampling distribution of the sample mean?
A) The mean of the population
distribution. B) The shape of the
population distribution.
C) The standard deviation of the population distribution.
D) All of the above can be disregarded when the Central Limit Theorem is used.
Answer: B
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186) The Central Limit Theorem is considered powerful in statistics because .
A) it works for any sample size provided the population is normal
B) it works for any population distribution provided the population mean is known
C) it works for any population distribution provided the sample size is sufficiently large
D) it works for any sample provided the population distribution is known
Answer: C
188) The Central Limit Theorem guarantees that the population is normal whenever n is sufficiently large.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B
189) The standard error of the sampling distribution of the sample mean is equal to σ, the standard deviation
of the population.
A) True
B) False
Answer: B
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the
200 200
25 = σ/ n = ⇒ n ∙ 25 = 200 ⇒ n= = 8 ⇒ n = 64
n 25
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
191) The daily revenue at a university snack bar has been recorded for the past five years. Records indicate that
the mean daily revenue is $3400 and the standard deviation is $600. The distribution is skewed to the right
due to several high volume days (football game days). Suppose that 100 days are randomly selected and
the average daily revenue computed. Which of the following describes the sampling distribution of the
sample mean?
A) normally distributed with a mean of $3400 and a standard deviation of $600
B) normally distributed with a mean of $340 and a standard deviation of $60
C) normally distributed with a mean of $3400 and a standard deviation of $60
D) skewed to the right with a mean of $3400 and a standard deviation of $600
Answer: C
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192) The number of cars running a red light in a day, at a given intersection, possesses a distribution with a mean
of
4.5 cars and a standard deviation of 5. The number of cars running the red light was observed on 100
randomly chosen days and the mean number of cars calculated. Describe the sampling distribution of the
sample mean.
A) shape unknown with mean = 4.5 and standard deviation = 0.5
B) shape unknown with mean = 4.5 and standard deviation = 5
C) approximately normal with mean = 4.5 and standard deviation = 0.5
D) approximately normal with mean = 4.5 and standard deviation = 5
Answer: C
193) Suppose students' ages follow a skewed right distribution with a mean of 24 years old and a standard
deviation of 5 years. If we randomly sample 250 students, which of the following statements about the
sampling distribution of the sample mean age is incorrect?
A) The mean of the sampling distribution is approximately 24 years old.
B) The standard deviation of the sampling distribution is equal to 5
years. C) The shape of the sampling distribution is approximately
normal.
D) All of the above statements are correct.
Answer: B
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
194) The amount of time it takes a student to walk from her home to class has a skewed right distribution with
a mean of 13 minutes and a standard deviation of 1.2 minutes. If times were collected from 30 randomly
selected walks, describe the sampling distribution of x, the sample mean time.
Answer: By the Central Limit Theorem, the sampling distribution of x is approximately normal with μx = μ
= 13
σ 1.2
minutes and σx = = 0.2191 minutes.
n 30
=
195) Suppose a random sample of n = 36 measurements is selected from a population with mean μ = 256 and
variance σ2 = 144. Find the mean and standard deviation of the sampling distribution of the sample
mean x.
144 12
Answer: μx = μ = 256;σx = = =2
36 6
196) Suppose a random sample of n = 64 measurements is selected from a population with mean μ = 65 and
standard deviation σ = 12. Find the values of μx and σx .
12 12
Answer: μx = μ = 65; σx = = 1.5
64 8
=
197) Suppose a random sample of n = 64 measurements is selected from a population with mean μ = 65 and
standard deviation σ = 12. Find the z-score corresponding to a value of x = 68.
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68- 65
Answer: z = =2
1.5
50
198) The weight of corn chips dispensed into a 10-ounce bag by the dispensing machine has been identified as
possessing a normal distribution with a mean of 10.5 ounces and a standard deviation of .2 ounce.
Suppose 100 bags of chips are randomly selected. Find the probability that the mean weight of these 100
bags exceeds 10.45 ounces.
10.45- 10.50
Answer: P(x > 10.45) = P z >
.2/ 100
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
199) The weight of corn chips dispensed into a 12-ounce bag by the dispensing machine has been identified as
possessing a normal distribution with a mean of 12.5 ounces and a standard deviation of 0.1 ounce.
Suppose 400 bags of chips are randomly selected. Find the probability that the mean weight of these 400
bags exceeds 12.6 ounces.
A) .3085
B) approximately 0
C) .1915
D) .6915
Answer: B
200) The average score of all golfers for a particular course has a mean of 61 and a standard deviation of 4.
Suppose
64 golfers played the course today. Find the probability that the average score of the 64 golfers exceeded 62.
A) .1293
B) .3707
C) .0228
D) .4772
Answer: C
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201) One year, the distribution of salaries for professional sports players had mean $1.6 million and
standard deviation $0.9 million. Suppose a sample of 100 major league players was taken. Find the
approximate probability that the average salary of the 100 players that year exceeded $1.1 million.
A) approximately 1
B) .2357
C) .7357
D) approximately 0
Answer: A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
202) Suppose a random sample of n = 64 measurements is selected from a population with mean μ = 65 and
standard deviation σ = 12. Find the probability that x falls between 65.75 an 68.75.
Answer: P(65.75 ≤ x ≤ 68.75) = P(.5 ≤ z ≤ 2.5) ≈ .3023
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