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Probability Distributions — NCERT Solutions

CBSE · Class 12 · Applied Mathematics

NCERT Solutions for Probability Distributions, CBSE Class 12 Applied Mathematics: 24 textbook questions solved step by step.

48 questions24 flashcards2 formulas & key relations5 concepts

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24 Questions Solved · 1 Section

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4.8 Check Your Progress

1State which of the following are not the probability distributions of a random variable. Give reasons for your answer.
(a) X: -1, 0, 1, 2 with P(X): 0.1, 0.8, 0.001, 0.2
(b) X: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 with P(X): 0.1, 0.4, 0.05, -0.2, 0.2
(c) X: -2, 2, 5 with P(X): 0.5, 0.2, 0.3
Show solution

For a valid probability distribution two conditions must hold:
(i) Each P(X)≥0P(X) \geq 0
(ii) ∑P(X)=1\sum P(X) = 1

(a)
∑P(X)=0.1+0.8+0.001+0.2=1.101≠1\sum P(X) = 0.1 + 0.8 + 0.001 + 0.2 = 1.101 \neq 1
Since the sum of probabilities is not equal to 1, this is NOT a valid probability distribution.

(b)
P(X=4)=−0.2<0P(X = 4) = -0.2 < 0
Since one of the probabilities is negative, this is NOT a valid probability distribution.

(c)
∑P(X)=0.5+0.2+0.3=1.0\sum P(X) = 0.5 + 0.2 + 0.3 = 1.0
All probabilities are non-negative and their sum equals 1.
Hence, this IS a valid probability distribution.

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2A lady's bag contains 2 black and 1 red pens. One pen is drawn at random and then put back in the box after noting its colour. The process is repeated again. If X denotes the number of red pens recorded in the two draws. Describe X.Show solution

Given: 2 black pens and 1 red pen. Drawing is done with replacement, twice.

Probability of drawing a red pen in one draw: p=13p = \dfrac{1}{3}

Probability of drawing a black pen in one draw: q=23q = \dfrac{2}{3}

X = number of red pens in two draws, so XX can take values 0,1,20, 1, 2.

P(X=0)=(20)(13)0(23)2=49P(X=0) = \binom{2}{0}\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)^0\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^2 = \frac{4}{9}

P(X=1)=(21)(13)1(23)1=49P(X=1) = \binom{2}{1}\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)^1\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^1 = \frac{4}{9}

P(X=2)=(22)(13)2(23)0=19P(X=2) = \binom{2}{2}\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)^2\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^0 = \frac{1}{9}

Probability Distribution Table:

XX012
P(X)P(X)49\dfrac{4}{9}49\dfrac{4}{9}19\dfrac{1}{9}

Verification: 49+49+19=1\dfrac{4}{9}+\dfrac{4}{9}+\dfrac{1}{9} = 1 ✓

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3What is the mean of the numbers obtained on throwing a die having written 1 on three faces, 2 on two faces and 5 on one face?Show solution

Given: A die with 1 on 3 faces, 2 on 2 faces, 5 on 1 face.

The probability distribution is:

XX125
P(X)P(X)36=12\dfrac{3}{6}=\dfrac{1}{2}26=13\dfrac{2}{6}=\dfrac{1}{3}16\dfrac{1}{6}

Mean =E(X)=∑xiP(xi)= E(X) = \sum x_i P(x_i)

E(X)=1×12+2×13+5×16E(X) = 1 \times \frac{1}{2} + 2 \times \frac{1}{3} + 5 \times \frac{1}{6}

=12+23+56= \frac{1}{2} + \frac{2}{3} + \frac{5}{6}

=36+46+56=126=2= \frac{3}{6} + \frac{4}{6} + \frac{5}{6} = \frac{12}{6} = \boxed{2}

The mean of the numbers obtained is 2.

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4Raheem tossed a fair coin 10 times, find the probability of (i) exactly six heads (ii) at least six heads (iii) at most six heads.Show solution

Given: n=10n = 10, fair coin so p=12p = \dfrac{1}{2}, q=12q = \dfrac{1}{2}.

Using Binomial Distribution: P(X=r)=(nr)prqn−rP(X=r) = \binom{n}{r}p^r q^{n-r}

(i) Exactly six heads (r=6r = 6):
P(X=6)=(106)(12)6(12)4=(106)(12)10P(X=6) = \binom{10}{6}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^6\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^4 = \binom{10}{6}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{10}
=210×11024=2101024=105512= 210 \times \frac{1}{1024} = \frac{210}{1024} = \frac{105}{512}

(ii) At least six heads (r≥6r \geq 6):
P(X≥6)=P(6)+P(7)+P(8)+P(9)+P(10)P(X \geq 6) = P(6)+P(7)+P(8)+P(9)+P(10)
=11024[(106)+(107)+(108)+(109)+(1010)]= \frac{1}{1024}\left[\binom{10}{6}+\binom{10}{7}+\binom{10}{8}+\binom{10}{9}+\binom{10}{10}\right]
=11024[210+120+45+10+1]=3861024=193512= \frac{1}{1024}\left[210+120+45+10+1\right] = \frac{386}{1024} = \frac{193}{512}

(iii) At most six heads (r≤6r \leq 6):
P(X≤6)=1−P(X≥7)P(X \leq 6) = 1 - P(X \geq 7)
P(X≥7)=11024[120+45+10+1]=1761024=1164P(X \geq 7) = \frac{1}{1024}[120+45+10+1] = \frac{176}{1024} = \frac{11}{64}
P(X≤6)=1−1164=5364P(X \leq 6) = 1 - \frac{11}{64} = \frac{53}{64}

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5Find the probability of getting 5 exactly twice in 7 throws of a fair die.Show solution

Given: n=7n = 7 throws, success = getting a 5.

p=P(getting 5)=16p = P(\text{getting 5}) = \dfrac{1}{6}, q=1−16=56q = 1 - \dfrac{1}{6} = \dfrac{5}{6}, r=2r = 2

Using Binomial Distribution:
P(X=2)=(72)(16)2(56)5P(X=2) = \binom{7}{2}\left(\frac{1}{6}\right)^2\left(\frac{5}{6}\right)^5

=21×136×5565= 21 \times \frac{1}{36} \times \frac{5^5}{6^5}

=21×312536×7776=21×5567= \frac{21 \times 3125}{36 \times 7776} = \frac{21 \times 5^5}{6^7}

=(72)5567= \binom{7}{2}\frac{5^5}{6^7}

P(X=2)=21×3125279936≈0.2344\boxed{P(X=2) = \frac{21 \times 3125}{279936} \approx 0.2344}

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6Let X denote the number of hours a class XII student studies during a randomly selected school day. The probability that X can take the values xix_i, for an unknown constant 'k':
P(X=xi)={0.1,xi=0kxi,xi=1 or 2k(5−xi),xi=3,4P(X=x_i)=\begin{cases}0.1, & x_i=0\\ kx_i, & x_i=1\text{ or }2\\ k(5-x_i), & x_i=3,4\end{cases}
(a) Find the value of k.
(b) What is the probability that the student studied for at least two hours? Exactly two hours? At most two hours?
Show solution

Given: The probability distribution with unknown constant kk.

(a) Finding k:

Since ∑P(X=xi)=1\sum P(X=x_i) = 1:
P(0)+P(1)+P(2)+P(3)+P(4)=1P(0)+P(1)+P(2)+P(3)+P(4) = 1
0.1+k(1)+k(2)+k(5−3)+k(5−4)=10.1 + k(1) + k(2) + k(5-3) + k(5-4) = 1
0.1+k+2k+2k+k=10.1 + k + 2k + 2k + k = 1
0.1+6k=10.1 + 6k = 1
6k=0.96k = 0.9
k=0.15\boxed{k = 0.15}

The probability distribution becomes:

xix_i01234
P(X)P(X)0.10.150.300.300.15

(b)

At least two hours (X≥2X \geq 2):
P(X≥2)=P(2)+P(3)+P(4)=0.30+0.30+0.15=0.75P(X \geq 2) = P(2)+P(3)+P(4) = 0.30+0.30+0.15 = \boxed{0.75}

Exactly two hours (X=2X = 2):
P(X=2)=k×2=0.15×2=0.30P(X=2) = k \times 2 = 0.15 \times 2 = \boxed{0.30}

At most two hours (X≤2X \leq 2):
P(X≤2)=P(0)+P(1)+P(2)=0.1+0.15+0.30=0.55P(X \leq 2) = P(0)+P(1)+P(2) = 0.1+0.15+0.30 = \boxed{0.55}

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7How many times must Sumit toss a fair coin so that the probability of getting at least one head is more than 90%?Show solution

Given: Fair coin, p=12p = \dfrac{1}{2}, q=12q = \dfrac{1}{2}.

We need: P(at least one head)>0.90P(\text{at least one head}) > 0.90

P(at least one head)=1−P(no heads)=1−(12)n>0.90P(\text{at least one head}) = 1 - P(\text{no heads}) = 1 - \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n > 0.90

(12)n<0.10\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n < 0.10

Checking values:

  • n=1n=1: (1/2)1=0.5>0.10(1/2)^1 = 0.5 > 0.10 ✗
  • n=2n=2: (1/2)2=0.25>0.10(1/2)^2 = 0.25 > 0.10 ✗
  • n=3n=3: (1/2)3=0.125>0.10(1/2)^3 = 0.125 > 0.10 ✗
  • n=4n=4: (1/2)4=0.0625<0.10(1/2)^4 = 0.0625 < 0.10 ✓

For n=4n = 4: P(at least one head)=1−0.0625=0.9375>90%P(\text{at least one head}) = 1 - 0.0625 = 0.9375 > 90\% ✓

Sumit must toss the coin at least 4 times.

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8A pair of dice is thrown and the random variable X represents the sum of the numbers that appear on the two dice. Calculate the mathematical expectation of X.Show solution

Given: Two dice are thrown. XX = sum of numbers on two dice.

Total outcomes = 36.

The possible values of XX range from 2 to 12.

Sum XXFrequencyP(X)P(X)X⋅P(X)X \cdot P(X)
211/362/36
322/366/36
433/3612/36
544/3620/36
655/3630/36
766/3642/36
855/3640/36
944/3636/36
1033/3630/36
1122/3622/36
1211/3612/36

E(X)=∑X⋅P(X)=2+6+12+20+30+42+40+36+30+22+1236E(X) = \sum X \cdot P(X) = \frac{2+6+12+20+30+42+40+36+30+22+12}{36}

=25236=7= \frac{252}{36} = \boxed{7}

The mathematical expectation of XX is 7.

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9Find the variance of a Bernoulli random variable whose probability of success is 0.6.Show solution

Given: p=0.6p = 0.6 (probability of success)

q=1−p=1−0.6=0.4q = 1 - p = 1 - 0.6 = 0.4

For a Bernoulli distribution, n=1n = 1:
Variance=npq=1×p×q=p×q\text{Variance} = npq = 1 \times p \times q = p \times q

Var(X)=0.6×0.4=0.24\text{Var}(X) = 0.6 \times 0.4 = \boxed{0.24}

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10If the mean and variance of a binomial distribution are 4/3 and 8/9 respectively, find P(X=1)P(X=1).Show solution

Given: Mean =np=43= np = \dfrac{4}{3}, Variance =npq=89= npq = \dfrac{8}{9}

Step 1: Find q
q=VarianceMean=8/94/3=89×34=23q = \frac{\text{Variance}}{\text{Mean}} = \frac{8/9}{4/3} = \frac{8}{9} \times \frac{3}{4} = \frac{2}{3}

Step 2: Find p
p=1−q=1−23=13p = 1 - q = 1 - \frac{2}{3} = \frac{1}{3}

Step 3: Find n
np=43⇒n×13=43⇒n=4np = \frac{4}{3} \Rightarrow n \times \frac{1}{3} = \frac{4}{3} \Rightarrow n = 4

Step 4: Find P(X=1)P(X=1)
P(X=1)=(41)(13)1(23)3P(X=1) = \binom{4}{1}\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)^1\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^3

=4×13×827=3281= 4 \times \frac{1}{3} \times \frac{8}{27} = \frac{32}{81}

P(X=1)=3281\boxed{P(X=1) = \frac{32}{81}}

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11What is the expected value of number of tails on a throw of a fair coin?Show solution

Given: A fair coin is tossed once. Let XX = number of tails.

XX can take values 0 or 1.

P(X=0)=12P(X=0) = \dfrac{1}{2} (head), P(X=1)=12P(X=1) = \dfrac{1}{2} (tail)

E(X)=0×12+1×12=12=0.5E(X) = 0 \times \frac{1}{2} + 1 \times \frac{1}{2} = \frac{1}{2} = \boxed{0.5}

The expected number of tails is 0.5.

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12A customer care company receives an average of 4.5 calls every 5 minutes. If each customer executive can handle one of these calls over the 5-minute period. But if an executive is unavailable to take the call, then the call is put on hold. Assuming that the calls received follow a Poisson distribution, what is the minimum number of customer executives needed on duty so that calls received are placed on hold for at most 10% of the time?Show solution

Given: λ=4.5\lambda = 4.5 calls per 5 minutes. Calls follow Poisson distribution.

We need to find minimum nn (number of executives) such that:
P(X>n)≤0.10⇒P(X≤n)≥0.90P(X > n) \leq 0.10 \quad \Rightarrow \quad P(X \leq n) \geq 0.90

Using Poisson formula: P(X=k)=e−4.5(4.5)kk!P(X=k) = \dfrac{e^{-4.5}(4.5)^k}{k!}, where e−4.5≈0.01111e^{-4.5} \approx 0.01111

Computing cumulative probabilities:

kkP(X=k)P(X=k)P(X≤k)P(X \leq k)
00.011110.01111
10.050000.06111
20.112480.17359
30.168730.34232
40.189820.53214
50.170840.70298
60.128130.83111
70.082370.91348

At n=7n = 7: P(X≤7)≈0.9135≥0.90P(X \leq 7) \approx 0.9135 \geq 0.90 ✓

At n=6n = 6: P(X≤6)≈0.831<0.90P(X \leq 6) \approx 0.831 < 0.90 ✗

The minimum number of customer executives needed is 7\boxed{7}.

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13A statistician records the number of trucks approaching a particular intersection. He observes that on an average 1.6 trucks approach the intersection every minute. Assuming Poisson distribution, what is the probability that 3 or more trucks will approach the intersection within a minute?

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14A computer disk manufacturer tests disk quality on random basis before approving it. The approval is based on the number of errors in a test area on each disk and follows Poisson distribution with λ=0.2\lambda = 0.2. What is the percentage of test areas having two or a smaller number of errors?

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15In a Poisson distribution, if mean is 2, what is the variance?

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16It is given that 3% defective electric bulbs are manufactured by a company. Using Poisson distribution, find the probability of 100 bulbs will contain no defective bulbs. (Use e−3=0.05e^{-3} = 0.05)

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17The mortality rate for a certain disease is 0.007. Using Poisson distribution, calculate the probability for 2 deaths in a group of 400 people.

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18An ice-cream parlour receives a customer at an average rate of 4 per minute. If the number of customers received by the parlour follows a Poisson distribution, what is the approximate probability that 16 customers will be coming to the parlour in a particular 4-minute period on a given day?

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19Using Z-Table, Calculate:
a) P(Z < 1.20)
b) P(Z ≤ 1.20)
c) P(-0.5 ≤ Z ≤ 1.0)
d) P(-1.0 ≤ Z ≤ 1.0)

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20A company conducted an IQ test for randomly selected 50 employees. Volunteer A scored 74 out of the possible 120 points. If the average IQ test score was recorded as 62 and the standard deviation was 11. How well did volunteer A perform on the test compared to the other volunteers?

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21An average ceiling fan manufactured by the Jagdeep Corporation lasts 300 days with a standard deviation of 50 days. Assuming that the ceiling fan's life is normally distributed, what is the probability that a ceiling fan will last at most 365 days?

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22In a survey of daily travel time (in minutes) of students to reach their school was recorded as: 26, 33, 65, 28, 34, 55, 25, 44, 50, 36, 26, 37, 43, 62, 35, 38, 45, 32, 28, 34. If the mean travelling time is 38.8 minutes and the standard deviation is 11.4 minutes. Convert the travel time of each student into a Z-Score.

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23In an examination, 2000 students appeared and the mean of the normal distribution of marks is 30 with standard deviation as 6.25. Find out how many students are expected to score:
(i) between 20 and 40 marks
(ii) less than 25 marks

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24In a normal distribution, 31% of the articles are under 45 and 8% are over 64. Calculate the mean and standard deviation of the distribution.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Probability Distributions for CBSE Class 12 Applied Mathematics?
Key topics in Probability Distributions include Random Variables and Probability Distributions, Mathematical Expectation and Variance, Binomial Distribution, Poisson Distribution. Study these first, then practise questions on each for the CBSE Class 12 board exam.
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How should I revise Probability Distributions for the CBSE Class 12 board exam?
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