5.

4 Practice Problems

1. Total cholesterol in children aged 10–15 years is assumed to

follow a normal distribution with a mean of 191 mg/dL and a

standard deviation of 22.4 mg/dL.

Normal distribution properties will be used and Z-score formula is good

to standardize values. The z-score formula is

X−μ
Z=
σ

Where

X is the value ¿ be standardized

μ isthe distribution mean

σ is the distributiuon SD

a. What proportion of children 10–15 years of age have total

cholesterol between 180 and 190 mg/dL?

We start by calculating the Z-scores for 180 and 190:

180−191
Z ( 180 ) = =−0.491
22.4

190−191
Z ( 190 ) = =−0.0446
22.4

The Z-scores are looked up in a standard normal distribution

table to get the corresponding probabilities. So, the probabilities

will be.

P ( 180 )=0.3117

P ( 190 )=0.4822
 The proportion of children 10–15 years of age have total

cholesterol between 180 and 190 mg/dL is the difference

between the two probabilities:

P ( 180< X <190 )=P ( 190 )−P ( 180 )=0.4822−0.3117=0.1705

Therefore, 0.1706 is equivalent to 17.05%.

It means that approximately 17.05% of children aged 10-15

years have total cholesterol between 180 and 190 mg/dL.

b. What proportion of children 10–15 years of age would be

classified as hyperlipidemic? (Assume that hyperlipidemia

is defined as a total cholesterol level over 200 mg/dL.)

Z-score for 200 is:

200−191
Z ( 200 ) = =0.4018
22.4

The Z-score is looked up in a standard normal distribution table

to get the corresponding probability. So, the probability will be.

P ( 200 )=0.6561

We over 200mg/dl, so we should subtract this probability from 1:

P( X> 200)=1−P ( 200 ) =1−0.6563=0.3439

Therefore, approximately 34.39% of children 10-15 years of age

would be classified as hyperlipidemic.

c. What is the 90th percentile of total cholesterol?

Let x be the 90th percentile

Then,

P ( X < x )=0.90
 ⟹ P Z< ( x−191
22.4 )
=0.90

x−191
⟹ =1.2816
22.4

⟹ x=219.71

Therefore, 219.71mg/dL is the 90th percentile of total

cholesterol.

2. Among coffee drinkers, men drink a mean of 3.2 cups per day,

with a standard deviation of 0.8 cups. Assume the number of

coffee drinks per day follows a normal distribution.

a. What proportion drink two cups per day or more?

2−3.2
Z ( 2 )= =−1.5
0.8

P ( X >2 ) =P (Z >−1.5)

P ( X >2 ) =1−P( Z ←1.5)

P ( X >2 ) =1−0.0668

P ( X >2 ) =0.9332

Therefore, 93.32% of coffee drinkers drink 2 cups per day or

more.

b. What proportion drink no more than four cups per day?

4−3.2
Z ( 4 )= =1.0
0.8

P ( Z <1.0 )=0.8413

Hence, 84.13% of coffee drinkers drink no more than 4 cups per

day.
 c. If the top 5% of coffee drinkers are considered heavy

coffee drinkers, what is the minimum number of cups per

day consumed by a heavy coffee drinker? Hint: Find the

95th percentile.

Let x be the 95th percentile

P ( X < x )=0.95

⟹ P Z< ( x−3.2
0.8 )
=0.95

x−3.2
⟹ =1.6449
0.8

⟹ x=3.2+1.6449 ×0.8

⟹ x=4.5159

Hence, the minimum number of cups per day consumed by a

heavy coffee drinker is approximately 4.52 cups.

3. A study is conducted to assess the impact of caffeine

consumption, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical

activity on cardiovascular disease. Suppose that 40% of

participants consume caffeine and smoke. If eight participants

are evaluated, what is the probability that:

k n−k
P ( X=k )=C ( n , k ) ×( p ) ×( ( 1− p ) )

Where

P ( X=k ) isthe probability of k successes ∈n trials

C ( n , k ) is the combination of n itemstaken k at a time

p isthe probability of success on a single trial

 n is the number of trials

a. Exactly half of them consume caffeine and smoke?

n=8 , k=4 , p=0.4

4 4
P ( x=4 )=8 C 4 ( 0.4 ) ( 0.6 ) =0.2322

The probability that exactly half of them consume caffeine and

smoke is 0.2322

b. At most six consume caffeine and smoke?

It implies that probabilities that exactly 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 will

be summed.

P ( X ≤6 )=P ( X =0 ) + P ( X=1 )+ P ( X =2 ) + P ( X=3 )+ P ( X=4 ) + P ( X=5 )+ P(X =6)

The probabilities are calculated using the binamial probability formula∈ Excel

Item k n p
Probability
P(x=0) 0 8 0.4
0.0167961
6
P(x=1) 1 8 0.4 0.0895795
2
P(x=2) 2 8 0.4 0.2090188
8
P(x=3) 3 8 0.4 0.2786918
4
P(x=4) 4 8 0.4 0.2322432
P(x=5) 5 8 0.4 0.1238630
4
P(x=6) 6 8 0.4 0.0412876
8
Sum of probabilities 0.9914803
2
The probability that at most six participants consume caffeine

and smoke is 0.9915

4. A recent study of cardiovascular risk factors reported that 30%

of adults met criteria for hypertension. If 15 adults are

assessed, what is the probability that:

Here we apply the binomial probability formula to solve these

problems, which is
k n−k
P ( X=k )=C ( n , k ) ×( p ) ×( ( 1− p ) )

Where

P ( X=k ) isthe probability of k successes ∈n trials

C ( n , k ) is the combination of n itemstaken k at a time

p isthe probability of success on a single trial

n is the number of trials

a. Exactly five meet the criteria for hypertension?

n=15 , k=5 , p=0.3

5 10
P ( x=5 )=15 C 5 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.2061

Therefore, the probability that exactly five meet the criteria for

hypertension is 0.2061

b. None meet the criteria for hypertension?

n=15 , k=0 , p=0.3

0 15
P ( x=0 ) =15C 0 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.004748

Therefore, the probability that none meet the criteria for

hypertension is 0.0047

c. Less than or equal to seven meet the criteria for

hypertension?
 It means the sum of all probabilities from P(x=0) to P(x=0)

P(0< x , ≤ 7)
0 15
P ( x=0 ) =15C 0 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.00474756
1 14
P ( x=1 )=15 C 1 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.03052004
2 13
P ( x=2 )=15 C 2 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.09156011
3 12
P ( x=3 )=15 C 3 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.17004021
4 11
P ( x=4 )=15 C 4 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.21862313
5 10
P ( x=5 )=15 C 5 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.20613038
6 9
P ( x=6 ) =15C 6 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.14723599
7 8
P ( x=7 ) =15C 7 ( 0.3 ) ( 0.7 ) =0.08113003

Total=0.94998746

Therefore, the probability that less than or equal to seven meet

the criteria for hypertension is 0.95.

5. Diastolic blood pressures are assumed to follow a normal

distribution with a mean of 85 mm Hg and a standard deviation

of 12 mm Hg.

a. What proportion of people have diastolic blood pressure

less than 90 mm Hg?

90−85
Z ( 90 )= =0.4167
12

P ( x< 90 )=P ( z <0.4167 )=0.6615

Hence, about 66.15% of people have diastolic blood pressure

less than 90 mm Hg.

b. What proportion have diastolic blood pressure between

80 and 90 mm Hg?

80−85
Z ( 90 )= =−0.4167
12

P ( x< 90 )=P ( z ←0.4167 ) =0.3385

90−85
Z ( 90 )= =0.4167
12

P ( x< 90 )=P ( z <0.4167 )=0.6615

P ( 80< X < 90 )=P ( 90 )−P ( 80 )=0.6615−0.3385=0.3230

Hence, about 32.3% of people have diastolic blood pressure

between 80 and 90 mm Hg.

c. If someone has a diastolic blood pressure of 100 mm Hg,

what percentile is he/she in?

100−85
Z ( 100 ) = =1.25
12

P ( x< 100 )=P ( z< 1.25 )=0.8944

Thus, the percentile is 89.44