Chapter 12: Problem 8
Lauren Wible of Bucknell University was the 2005 NCAA Division I women's softball batting leader with a batting average of .524. This means that the probability of her getting a hit in a given at-bat was \(0.524 .\) Find the probability of her getting exactly 2 hits in 4 at-bats.
Short Answer
Expert verified
The probability is approximately 0.3753.
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Problem
Lauren Wible's batting average is 0.524, which means the probability of her getting a hit in a single at-bat is 0.524. We need to find the probability of her getting exactly 2 hits in 4 at-bats.
02
Identify the Distribution
This problem uses the binomial distribution because it involves a fixed number of independent trials (at-bats), and each trial has two possible outcomes (hit or no hit) with a constant probability of success (hitting).
03
Set the Parameters of the Binomial Distribution
For a binomial distribution, we'll define the parameters as:
- Number of trials (
=n
) = 4
- Probability of success in each trial (
p
) = 0.524
- Number of successes (
k
) we are interested in = 2.
04
Apply the Binomial Probability Formula
The probability of getting exactly kgiven successes in n trials is given by the formula for the binomial probability: \[ P(X = k) = \binom{n}{k} p^k (1-p)^{n-k} \] Substitute the values: \[ P(X = 2) = \binom{4}{2} (0.524)^2 (1-0.524)^{4-2} \]
05
Calculate the Binomial Coefficient
Compute the binomial coefficient \(\binom{4}{2}\): \[\binom{4}{2} = \frac{4!}{2!(4-2)!} = \frac{4 \times 3}{2 \times 1} = 6 \]
06
Calculate the Probability
Compute the individual components and substitute them into the formula: - \( (0.524)^2 = 0.274576 \)- \((1-0.524)^{2} = (0.476)^2 = 0.226576 \) Then calculate the probability: \[ P(X=2) = 6 \times 0.274576 \times 0.226576 \approx 0.3753 \]
07
Conclusion
The probability of Lauren Wible getting exactly 2 hits in 4 at-bats is approximately 0.3753.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Probability
Probability is a fundamental concept in statistics that helps us quantify the likelihood of different outcomes. In this context, probability refers to the chance that a particular event occurs. For Lauren Wible, her batting average translates directly into the probability that she will hit the ball during an at-bat.
- Probability of success (getting a hit): 0.524
- Probability of failure (missing a hit): 1 - 0.524 = 0.476
Batting Average
A batting average is a key performance metric in baseball and softball. It represents the ratio of a player's hits compared to their total number of at-bats. For Lauren Wible, a batting average of 0.524 means that she gets a hit approximately 52.4% of the time she is at-bat.
- Calculated as: \[\text{Batting Average} = \frac{\text{Number of Hits}}{\text{Number of At-Bats}}\]
- Helps in predicting future performance and assessing consistency.
Binomial Coefficient
The binomial coefficient is a critical component in calculating probabilities in a binomial distribution. It tells us the number of ways we can choose a certain number of successes in a series of trials.
- Mathematically expressed using combinations, for example: \[ \binom{n}{k} = \frac{n!}{k!(n-k)!}\]
- For Lauren's scenario: \[ \binom{4}{2} = \frac{4!}{2!\times(4-2)!} = 6\]
- Represents the different ways she can get exactly 2 hits in 4 at-bats.
Independent Trials
Independent trials refer to situations where the outcome of one trial does not affect the outcome of another. For Lauren Wible's batting outcomes:
- Each at-bat is an independent event.
- The probability of getting a hit remains constant at 0.524, no matter the result of previous at-bats.