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The probability that data are entered incorrectly into a field in a database is \(0.005 .\) A data entry form has 28 fields, and errors occur independently for each field. The random variable \(X\) is the number of fields on the form with an error. Does \(X\) have a discrete uniform distribution? Why or why not?

Short Answer

Expert verified
No, X does not have a discrete uniform distribution, as its probabilities follow a binomial distribution and differ for each possible outcome.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Discrete Uniform Distribution

A discrete uniform distribution means that all outcomes of the random variable are equally likely. For a random variable to have this distribution, each possible value that the random variable can take must have the same probability.
02

Analyzing the Random Variable

The random variable here is the number of fields on the form with an error, denoted by X. X can take any integer value from 0 to 28, depending on how many of the fields have an error.
03

Calculating Probability of Each Outcome

The probability of each field having an error is given as 0.005. Due to the independence of the errors for each field, the probability of having a specific number of errors (like 0 errors, 1 error, etc.) follows a binomial distribution formula, \[ P(X=k) = \binom{n}{k} p^k (1-p)^{n-k} \]where \(n = 28\) and \(p = 0.005\).
04

Comparing with Uniform Distribution

Using the binomial probability, each value of X has a different probability of occurrence, because the combination term \(\binom{n}{k}\) differs for each outcome. Thus, outcomes are not equally probable.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Discrete Uniform Distribution
A discrete uniform distribution occurs when every possible outcome of a random variable is equally likely to happen. Imagine rolling a fair die. Since each number from 1 to 6 is equally likely to appear, this is a classic example of a discrete uniform distribution. In this case, each number has an equal probability of \( rac{1}{6}\).

For a random variable to be considered to follow a discrete uniform distribution, each possible outcome must have the exact same chance of occurring.

In the provided exercise scenario, the random variable represents the number of fields with errors. Each possible number of errors (from 0 to 28) does not have the same probability. Because the error in fields can vary greatly based on the number of successful and failed entries, it does not follow a discrete uniform distribution.
Binomial Distribution
The binomial distribution is a probability distribution that represents the number of successes in a fixed number of independent trials, where each trial has two possible outcomes - success or failure. This is defined by two parameters: the number of trials, \(n\), and the probability of success, \(p\), in a single trial.

In the context of our exercise, each field having an error represents a 'trial', with the probability of an error being 0.005 (probability of success). There are 28 trials (fields), making it a classic case of a binomial distribution.

The probability function for a binomial distribution is given by the formula:
\[ P(X=k) = \binom{n}{k} p^k (1-p)^{n-k} \]

Where \(\binom{n}{k}\) is the combination of choosing \(k\) successes (errors) in \(n\) trials (fields), \(p^k\) is the probability of having exactly \(k\) errors, and \( (1-p)^{n-k}\) is the probability of the remaining fields (1 minus error probability) being error free.
Random Variables
A random variable is a variable that can take on different values based on the outcome of a random event. In probability and statistics, they are used to quantify random occurrences.

There are two main types of random variables: discrete and continuous. Discrete random variables take on a countable number of distinct values. In our exercise, the number of fields with errors, \(X\), is a discrete random variable because it can only take integer values from 0 to 28.

On the other hand, continuous random variables can take an infinite number of possible values within a given range. For example, the amount of time it takes to run a race could be a continuous random variable.

It's important to recognize that the behavior and distribution of a random variable greatly determine how its probabilities are calculated. For discrete random variables, like in our exercise, probabilities are often calculated using probability mass functions such as those for the binomial distribution.

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