Questions

Q1.

The discrete random variable X has the following probability distribution.

(a) Show that

(1)

(b) Find
(3)

The random variable

(c) Find
(i) E(Y )
(ii) Var(Y )
(3)
(d) Find P(X < 3|Y < 20)
(5)

(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q2.

The cumulative distribution function of the discrete random variable W, which takes only the values 6, 7
and 8, is given by

Find E(W)
(4)

(Total for question = 4 marks)

Q3.

The discrete random variable Y has the following probability distribution

where q, r and u are probabilities.

(a) Write down the value of E(Y)

(1)
The cumulative distribution function of Y is F(y)

Given that F(0) =

(b) show that the value of u is

(3)
Given also that Var (Y) = 37

(c) find the value of q and the value of r

(4)
The coordinates of a point P are (12, Y)

The random variable D represents the length of OP

(d) Find the probability distribution of D

(6)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q4.

A spinner can land on the numbers 10, 12, 14 and 16 only and the probability of the spinner landing on
each number is the same.

The random variable X represents the number that the spinner lands on when it is spun once.

(a) State the name of the probability distribution of X.

(1)
(b) (i) Write down the value of E(X)
(1)
(ii) Find Var(X)
 (2)
A second spinner can land on the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 only.
The random variable Y represents the number that this spinner lands on when it is spun once. The
probability distribution of Y is given in the table below

(c) Find (i) E(Y)

(2)
(ii) Var(Y)
(3)
The random variable W = aX + b, where a and b are constants and a > 0
Given that E(W) = E(Y) and Var(W) = Var(Y)

(d) find the value of a and the value of b.

(5)
Each of the two spinners is spun once.

(e) Find P(W = Y)

(2)

(Total for question = 16 marks)

Q5.

The discrete random variable X has probability distribution

(a) Write down the name given to this distribution.

(1)
Find

(b) P(X = 4)
(1)
(c) F(3)
(1)
(d) P(3X − 3 > X + 4)
(2)
(e) Write down E(X)
(1)
(f) Find E(X2)
 (2)
(g) Hence find Var (X)
(2)
Given that E(aX − 3) = 11.4

(h) find Var (aX − 3)

(4)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q6.

The discrete random variable X has the following probability distribution

Given that E(X ) = 0.5

(a) find the value of a.

(2)
Given also that Var(X ) = 5.01

(b) find the value of b and the value of c.

(5)
The random variable Y = 5 − 8X

(c) Find (i) E(Y )

(ii) Var(Y )
(3)
(d) Find P(4X2 > Y )
(5)

(Total for question = 15 marks)

Q7.

A red spinner is designed so that the score R is given by the following probability distribution.
(a) Show that E(R2) = 15.8
(1)
Given also that E(R) = 3.7

(b) find the standard deviation of R, giving your answer to 2 decimal places.
(2)
A yellow spinner is designed so that the score Y is given by the probability distribution in the table below.
The cumulative distribution function F(y) is also given.

(c) Write down the value of d

(1)
Given that E(Y) = 4.55

(d) find the value of c

(5)
Pabel and Jessie play a game with these two spinners.

Pabel uses the red spinner.

Jessie uses the yellow spinner.

They take turns to spin their spinner.

The winner is the first person whose spinner lands on the number 2 and the game ends.

Jessie spins her spinner first.

(e) Find the probability that Jessie wins on her second spin.
(2)
(f) Calculate the probability that, in a game, the score on Pabel's first spin is the same as the score on
Jessie's first spin.
(3)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q8.

The random variable W has a discrete uniform distribution where

P(W = w) = for w = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

(a) Find P(2 ≤ W < 3.5)

(1)
The discrete random variable X = 5 – 2W

(b) Find E(X)

(3)
(c) Find P(X < W)
(2)

The discrete random variable Y =

(d) Find
(i) the probability distribution of Y
(ii) Var(Y), showing your working.
(5)
(e) Find Var(2 – 3Y)
(2)

(Total for question = 13 marks)

Q9.

A discrete random variable Y has probability function

where k is a constant.

(a) Show that

(2)
Find the exact value of

(b) P(1 < Y ≤ 4)

(2)
(c) E(Y )
(2)
The random variable X = 15 – 2Y

(d) Calculate P(Y ≥ X)

(3)
(e) Calculate Var (X)
(4)

(Total for question = 13 marks)

Q10.

A biased tetrahedral die has faces numbered 0, 1, 2 and 3. The die is rolled and the number face down on
the die, X, is recorded. The probability distribution of X is

If X = 3 then the final score is 3

If X ≠ 3 then the die is rolled again and the final score is the sum of the two numbers.

The random variable T is the final score.

(a) Find P(T = 2)

(2)
(b) Find P(T = 3)
(3)
(c) Given that the die is rolled twice, find the probability that the final score is 3
(3)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Q11.

A factory produces shoes.

A quality control inspector at the factory checks a sample of 120 shoes for each of three types of defect.
The Venn diagram represents the inspector's results.
A represents the event that a shoe has defective stitching
B represents the event that a shoe has defective colouring
 C represents the event that a shoe has defective soles

One of the shoes in the sample is selected at random.

(a) Find the probability that it does not have defective soles.
(1)
(b) Find P(A ∩ B ∩ C′)
(1)
(c) Find P(A ∪ B ∪ C′)
(2)
(d) Find the probability that the shoe has at most one type of defect.
(2)
(e) Given the selected shoe has at most one type of defect, find the probability it has defective stitching.
(2)
The random variable X is the number of the events A, B, C that occur for a randomly selected shoe.

(f) Find E(X)

(3)

(Total for question = 11 marks)

Q12.

The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is given by

where a is a constant.

(a) Find, in terms of a, E(X)

(2)
(b) Find the range of the possible values of E(X)
(3)
Given that Var(X) = 0.56

(c) find the possible values of a

(6)

(Total for question = 11 marks)

Q13.

Adana selects one number at random from the distribution of X which has the following probability
distribution.

(a) Given that the number selected by Adana is not 5, write down the probability it is 0
(1)
(b) Show that E(X2) = 75
(1)
(c) Find Var(X )
(3)
(d) Find Var(4 – 3X )
(2)
Bruno and Charlie each independently select one number at random from the distribution of X

(e) Find the probability that the number Bruno selects is greater than the number Charlie selects.
(3)
Devika multiplies Bruno's number by Charlie's number to obtain a product, D

(f) Determine the probability distribution of D

(4)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Mark Scheme
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
Q9.
Q10.
Q11.
Q12.
Q13.