SOCR EduMaterials Activities Discrete Probability examples

• Description: You can access the applets for the above distributions at http://www.socr.ucla.edu/htmls/SOCR_Distributions.html .
• Example 1:

Find the probability that 3 out of 8 plants will survive a frost, given that any such plant will survive a frost with ptobability of 0.30. Also, find the probability that at least 1 out of 8 will survive a frost. What is the expected value and standard deviation of the number of plants that survive the frost?

• Answer:
• \( X \sim b(8,0.3) \), \( P(X=3)= {8 \choose 3} 0.3^30.7^5\)
• \( P(X \ge 1)= 1-P(X=0)=1-.7^8 \)
• \( E(X)= np = 8*.3=2.4 \)
• \( Sd(X)= sqrt(npq)\)
• Example 2:

If the probabilities of having a male or female offspring are both 0.50, find the probability that a familiy's fifth child is their first son.

• Answer:
• \( 0.50^5 \)
• Example 3:
  • a. \(X \sim b(4,0.8) \), \( P(X=2)= {4 \choose 2} 0.8^2 0.2^2\)
  • b. \(P(X\ge 2)= {4 \choose 2} 0.8^2 0.2^2\)+\({4 \choose 3} 0.8^3 0.2^1\)+\({4 \choose 4} 0.8^4\)