Discrete Random Variable

Multiple-choice questions
1 Consider the following table:

x 0 1 2 3 4
Pr(X = x) k/2 k/4 k k/4 k/2

For the table to represent a probability function, the value of k is closest to:
A 0.1 C 0.3 E 0.5
B 0.2 D 0.4

The following information relates to Questions 2, 3 and 4.

The probability distribution of a random variable X is shown in the table below.

x –3 –2 –1 0 1 2
Pr(X = x) 0.10 k 0.25 0.20 k 0.25

2 The value of k is:

A 0.01 C 0.15 E 0.225
B 0.10 D 0.20

3 The expected value of X, E(X), is closest to:

A –0.35 C 0.05 E 1.55
B –0.15 D 1.35
4 The variance of X, Var(X), is closest to:
A 2.6275 C 1.621 E –0.45
B 2.650 D –0.4275

5 Suppose that the random variable X has the probability distribution given in the
following table.

x 1 2 3 4
2 2 2 2
Pr(X = x) c /2 c /2 c /2 c /16

The best answer for the value of c is:

A 0.25 C 0.6 E 0.707
B 0.8 D 0.64
6 A spinner is marked as shown:

4 3

3 1

If X is the number indicated by the spinner, then the probability distribution of X is:
A
x 1 2 3 4
Pr(X = x) 1 1 1 1
4 4 4 4

B
x 1 2 3 4
Pr(X = x) 3 1 1 1
8 4 4 8

C
x 1 2 3 4
Pr(X = x) 1 1 1 1
3 6 3 6

D
x 1 2 3 4
Pr(X = x) 1 1 1 1
4 8 4 8

E
x 1 2 3 4
Pr(X = x) 1 1 1 1
6 6 6 6

7 A random variable X has a mean of 12 and E(X2) = 169. The standard deviation of X is
closest to:
A 25 C 12.5 E 313
B 5 D 157

8 Which of the following random variables is not discrete?

A The price of a litre of milk
B The number of times a die is tossed before a six shows
C The volume of petrol used by a family each week
 D The number of TV shows watched each week by a family
E The number of children in the family who watch TV

9 Suppose that there are six balls in a bag: three white and three green. A ball is drawn
from the bag, and its colour noted. If the ball is white, the ball is not replaced and a
second ball is drawn and its colour noted and the process is repeated until a green ball
is observed. If X is the number of balls drawn before a green ball is drawn, then the
possible values for X are:
A {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} D {1, 2, 3, 4}
B {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} E {1, 2, 3}
C {0, 1, 2, 3}
10 A random variable X is such that its mean is 4 and its standard deviation is 3. E(X 2) is
closest to:
A 1 C 7 E 25
B 5 D 19

The following information relates to Questions 11 and 12.

Suppose there are two boxes, box A and box B. Box A contains 4 red balls and 6 black balls.
Box B contains 3 red and 7 black balls. Suppose that Lauren selects a box at random, and
then a ball at random from the box.

11 The probability that Lauren chooses a red ball is:

A 0.30 C 0.40 E 0.70
B 0.35 D 0.50

12 The probability that Lauren chose box A, given that she chooses a red ball, is closest to:
A 0.2 C 0.4 E 0.57
B 0.35 D 0.5

13 Steve devises the following game. He will toss two coins, and if both are heads he will
pay his friend $1.00, otherwise his friend must pay him 50 cents. How much will Steve
expect to win or lose per game in the long run using this strategy?
A 12.5 cents win D $1.50 win
B 12.5 cents loss E $1.50 loss
C 0, it’s a fair game
14 The following table gives the probability distribution of the number of people in cars
travelling along a certain freeway.

p 1 2 3 >3
Pr(P = p) 0.45 0.35 0.05 0.15

A toll of $5.00 is charged on cars which carry only the driver; otherwise the toll per car
is only $1.50. The expected toll charge per car is equal to:
A $1.05 C $1.65 E $3.08
B $1.10 D $2.50

15 A spinning wheel at a fete is marked with the numbers 1 to 100. To play the game you
pay $2.00 and select one of these numbers. If the wheel lands on your number then you
win $50, otherwise you lose the $2.00. If 1000 people play the game at the fete, the
expected profit to the organisers from the spinning wheel is:
A $1.48 C $1480 E $4800
B $48 D $1500

Short-answer questions (technology-free)

1 At a particular university the probability that a randomly selected student is studying a
business degree is 0.5, that they are male is 0.5, and that they are a male business
student is 0.3. What is the probability that a randomly chosen student is either male or a
business student or both?

2 A kindergarten teacher has found over the years that 35% of children can tie their
shoelaces, 30% can use a pair of scissors, and 20% can do both. Find the probability
that a randomly selected child:
a can neither tie their shoelaces nor use scissors
b can tie their shoelaces but cannot use scissors
3 The probability that Perdita will phone Faith is 0.3, and the probability that Hugh will
phone Faith is 0.2. If these events are independent, what is the probability that either
Perdita or Hugh or both will phone Faith?

4 A group of 1000 people were asked their age and preference in television viewing, with
the following results:
 Program type 8–12 years 13–19 years Over 20 years Total
Sport 20 100 150 270
Comedy 170 130 70 370
Reality TV 50 160 150 360
Total 240 390 370 1000

What is the probability that a person chosen from this group at random:
a is 8–12 years of age?
b prefers Reality TV?
c is 13–19 years of age and prefers Sport?

5 A car dealership surveyed its recent customers about their satisfaction with their car,
with the following results:

Satisfaction rating Male Female Total

Dissatisfied 10 60 70
Neutral 20 60 80
Satisfied 20 30 50
Total 50 150 200

What is the probability that a person chosen at random from this group:
a is female, given that she is neutral about the car?
b is neutral about the car, given that she is female?

6 There a five traffic lights on the highway between Amyville and Bobtown. The city
council has determined that number of traffic lights at which a driver will have to stop
along the highway has the following distribution.

x 1 2 3 4 5
Pr(X = x) k 2k k k/2 k/2

a Find the value of k.

b Calculate the probability that the number of traffic lights at which a driver will
have to stop will be more than two.
7 Suppose that the number of matches that a player wins in a tennis tournament has the
following distribution:

x 0 1 2 3 4 5
Pr(X = x) 0.50 0.25 0.13 0.06 0.03 0.03

Find the mode, median and mean of the number of matches won.

8 Suppose a random variable X has a probability distribution:

x 0 1 2
Pr(X = x) 0.5 a b

Find the values of a and b, if the mean of X is 0.7.

Extended-response questions
Sarah has a biased die. When it is rolled, the probability of obtaining a particular outcome (X)
is shown in the following table:

x 1 2 3 4 5 6
Pr(X = x) 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 p

1 Find:
a the value of p
b the expected value of X, 
c the standard deviation of X, correct to four decimal places
d Pr(X > )

2 If the die is rolled twice:

a find the probability that the first roll is a six, and the second roll is not a six
b find the probability that one roll is a six, and the other roll is not a six
c find the probability that the sum of the rolls is six
d find the probability that, given that the sum of the rolls is six, one of the rolls is a
three
3 Suppose that Sarah has two fair dice, as well as the biased one described above. She
puts all three in a bag, and then asks her friend to select a die and roll it.
a What is the probability that the die will show a six?
b What is the probability that, if the die did show a six, it came from the biased
die?

4 In order to make the game from question 3 more interesting, Sarah offers to pay $10 if
a six is rolled, otherwise she pays nothing.
a What is the probability of winning the $10.00?
b How much, to the nearest cent, should Sarah ask as a fee for playing the game, in
order for this game to be fair? (If she wins, her fee will be refunded.)
Answers

Answers to multiple-choice questions

1 D 6 B 11 B
2 B 7 B 12 E
3 B 8 C 13 A
4 A 9 C 14 E
5 B 10 E 15 D

Answers to short-answer questions (technology-free)

1 0.7 5 a 0.75
2 a 0.55 b 0.4
b 0.15 6 a 0.2
3 0.44 b 0.4
4 a 0.240 7 mode = 0, median = 0.5, mean =
b 0.360 0.96
c 0.100 8 a = 0.3, b = 0.2
Answers to extended-response questions
1 a p = 0.1
b 3.3
c 1.4177
d 0.4
2 a 0.09
b 0.18
c 0.19
9
d 19 ≈ 0.4737
13
3 a 90 ≈ 0.1444
3
b 13 ≈ 0.2308
13
4 a 90 ≈ 0.1444
b $1.69