12/4/12 12.

The Binomial Probability Distribution

This is interactive mathematics

12. The Binomial Probability Distribution

A binomial experiment is one that possesses the following properties:

1. The experiment consists of n repeated trials;

2. Each trial results in an outcome that may be classified as a success or a failure (hence the name, binomial);

3. The probability of a success, denoted by p, remains constant from trial to trial and repeated trials are independent.

The number of successes X in n trials of a binomial experiment is called a binomial random variable.

The probability distribution of the random variable X is called a binomial distribution, and is given by the formula:

n x n−x
P (X) = C p q
x

where

n = the number of trials

x = 0, 1, 2, ... n

p = the probability of success in a single trial

q = the probability of failure in a single trial

(i.e. q = 1 − p)

n
C
x
is a combination

P(X) gives the probability of successes in n binomial trials.

Mean and Variance of Binomial Distribution

If p is the probability of success and q is the probability of failure in a binomial trial, then the expected number of
successes in n trials (i.e. the mean value of the binomial distribution) is

E(X) = μ = np

The variance of the binomial distribution is

2
V(X) = σ = npq

Note: In a binomial distribution, only 2 parameters, namely n and p , are needed to determine the probability.

Example 1
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12/4/12 12. The Binomial Probability Distribution

A die is tossed 3 times. What is the probability of

(a) No fives turning up?

(b) 1 five?

(c) 3 fives?

Answer

Image source

This is a binomial distribution because there are only 2 possible outcomes (we get a 5 or we don't).

Now, n = 3 for each part. Let X = number of fives appearing.

(a) Here, x = 0.

0 3
1 5 125
n x n−x 3
P (X = 0) = C p q = C ( ) ( ) = = 0.5787
x 0
6 6 216

(b) Here, x = 1.

1 2
1 5 75
n x n−x 3
P (X = 1) = C p q = C ( ) ( ) = = 0.34722
x 1
6 6 216

(c) Here, x = 3.

3 0
1 5 1
n x n−x 3 −3
P (X = 3) = C p q = C ( ) ( ) = = 4.6296 × 10
x 3
6 6 216

Example 2

Hospital records show that of patients suffering from a certain disease, 75% die of it. What is the probability that of 6
randomly selected patients, 4 will recover?

Answer

This is a binomial distribution because there are only 2 outcomes (the patient dies, or does not).

Let X = number who recover.

The probability that 4 will recover:

4 2
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=
12/4/12 12. The Binomial Probability Distribution
n x n−x 6 4 2 −3
P (X) = C p q = C (0.25) (0.75) = 15 × 2.1973 × 10 = 0.0329595
x 4

Histogram of this distribution:

We could calculate all the probabilities involved and we would get:

X Probability

0 0.17798

1 0.35596

2 0.29663

3 0.13184

−2
4 3.2959 × 10

−3
5 4.3945 × 10

−4
6 2.4414 × 10

The histogram (using Excel) is as follows:

It means that out of the 6 patients chosen, the probability that none of them will recover is 0.17798 , the probability
that one will recover is 0.35596 , and the probability that all 6 will recover is extremely small.

SNB "Histogram"

Alternatively, we can use Scientific Notebook's "Plot Approximate Integral" to give us something approaching the
histogram of this experiment. Of course, the x-values are not quite right in the SNB answer (because it was not
designed to do this), so I have made an adjustment to the x-axis.

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12/4/12 12. The Binomial Probability Distribution

Example 3

In the old days, there was a probability of 0.8 of success in any attempt to make a telephone
call. (This often depended on the imortance of the person making the call, or the operator's
curiosity!)

Calculate the probability of having 7 successes in 10 attempts.

Answer

Image source

Probability of success p = 0.8 , so q = 0.2 .

X = success in getting through.

Probability of 7 successes in 10 attempts:

Probability

= P (X = 7)

10 7 10−7
= C (0.8) (0.2)
7

= 0.20133

Histogram

Using the following function in SNB,

we have:

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12/4/12 12. The Binomial Probability Distribution

Example 4

A (blindfolded) marksman finds that on the average he hits the target 4 times out of 5 . If he fires 4 shots, what is the
probability of

(a) more than 2 hits?

(b) at least 3 misses?

Answer

Here, n = 4 , p = 0.8 , q = 0.2 .

Let X = number of hits.

Let x0 = no hits, x1 = 1 hit, x2 = 2 hits, etc.

(a)
P (X) = P (x 3 ) + P ( x 4 )

4 3 1 4 4 0
= C (0.8) (0.2) + C (0.8) (0.2)
3 4

3 4
= 4 (0.8) (0.2) + (0.8)

= 0.8192

(b) 3 misses means 1 hit, and 4 misses means 0 hits.

P (X) = P (x 1 ) + P ( x 0 )

4 1 3 4 0 4
= C (0.8) (0.2) + C (0.8) (0.2)
1 0

1 3 4
= 4 (0.8) (0.2) + (0.2)

= 0.0272

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12/4/12 12. The Binomial Probability Distribution

Example 5

The ratio of boys to girls at birth in Singapore is quite high at 1.09 : 1 .

What proportion of Singapore families with exactly 6 children will have at least 3 boys? (Ignore
the probability of multiple births.)

[Interesting and disturbing trivia: In most countries the ratio of boys to girls is about
1.04 : 1 , but in China it is 1.15 : 1 .]

Answer

Image source

1.09
The probability of getting a boy is = 0.5215
1.09 + 1.00

Let X = number of boys in the family.

Here,

n = 6 ,
p = 0.5215 ,
q = 1 − 0.52153 = 0.4785

When x = 3 :

n x n−x 6 3 3
P (X) = C p q = C (0.5215) (0.4785) = 0.31077
x 3

When x = 4 :

6 4 2
P (X) = C (0.5215) (0.4785) = 0.25402
4

When x = 5 :

6 5 1
P (X) = C (0.5215) (0.4785) = 0.11074
5

When x = 6 :

6 6 0 −2
P (X) = C (0.5215) (0.4785) = 2.0115 × 10
6

So the probability of getting at least 3 boys is:

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 Probability = P (X ≥ 3)

−2
= 0.31077 + 0.25402 + 0.11074 + 2.0115 × 10

= 0.69565

NOTE: We could have calculated it like this:

P (X ≥ 3) = 1 − (P ( x 0 ) + P ( x 1 ) + P ( x 2 ))

Example 6

A manufacturer of metal pistons finds that on the average, 12% of his pistons are rejected because they are either
oversize or undersize. What is the probability that a batch of 10 pistons will contain

(a) no more than 2 rejects? (b) at least 2 rejects?

Answer

Let X = number of rejected pistons

(In this case, "success" means rejection!)

Here, n = 10 , p = 0.12 , q = 0.88 .

(a)

No rejects. That is, when x = 0 :

n x n−x 10 0 10
P (X) = C p q = C (0.12) (0.88) = 0.2785
x 0

One reject. That is, when x = 1

10 1 9
P (X) = C (0.12) (0.88) = 0.37977
1

Two rejects. That is, when x = 2 :

10 2 8
P (X) = C (0.12) (0.88) = 0.23304
2

So the probability of getting no more than 2 rejects is:

Probability

= P (X ≤ 2)

= 0.2785 + 0.37977 + 0.23304

= 0.89131

(b) We could work out all the cases for X = 2, 3, 4, ..., 10 , but it is much easier to proceed as follows:

Probablity of at least 2 rejects

= 1 − P (X ≤ 1)
 = 1 − P (X ≤ 1)

= 1 − (P ( x 0 ) + P (x 1 ))

= 1 − (0.2785 + 0.37977)

= 0.34173

Histogram

x 10−x
Using Scientic Notebook , we can define the function g(x) = C(10, x)(0.12) (0.88) and then
find the values at 0, 1, 2, ... , which gives us the histogram:

Alternatively, using SNB :