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In Exercises 18, 20, and 21 assume that the year has 366 days and all birthdays are equally likely. In Exercise 19 assume it is equally likely that a person is born in any given month of the year. a) What is the probability that two people chosen at random were born during the same month of the year? b) What is the probability that in a group of n people chosen at random, there are at least two born in the same month of the year? c) How many people chosen at random are needed to make the probability greater than 1?2 that there are at least two people born in the same month of the year?

Short Answer

Expert verified
a) \(\frac{1}{12}\), b) \(1 - \frac{12 \times 11 \cdots (12-n+1)}{12^n}\), c) n = 5.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding the problem

For this exercise, we need to calculate different probabilities related to people being born in the same month. The year is assumed to have 12 months.
02

- Calculate the probability for part (a)

The total possible ways both individuals can be born in any month is 12. The number of favorable outcomes where both are born in the same month is also 12 (one for each month). Hence, the probability is \(\frac{12}{12^2} = \frac{1}{12}\).
03

- Calculate the probability for part (b)

To find the probability that at least two out of n people share the same birth month: 1. Calculate the probability that all n people are born in different months. 2. Subtract this probability from 1.Assuming the first person can be born in any of the 12 months. The second in any of the remaining 11 months and so on. This gives: \( P(\text{all different}) = \frac{12}{12} \times \frac{11}{12} \times \frac{10}{12} \cdots \times \frac{12-n+1}{12} \). The probability that at least two people are born in the same month is then: \( 1 - P(\text{all different}) \).
04

- Calculate the number of people for part (c)

We need to find the smallest n for which the probability of at least two people sharing the same birth month is greater than \( \frac{1}{2} \).Using the formula from Step 3, set up the equation: \( 1 - P(\text{all different}) > \frac{1}{2} \).Calculate the smallest n that satisfies this condition. As the calculations can be lengthy, it can be simplistically solved or checked using approximation or logarithms to get n.

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Key Concepts

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

birthday problem
The birthday problem is an intriguing probability puzzle that explores the likelihood of two people sharing the same birthday in a group. Despite the seemingly low probability, it reveals counterintuitive results. In our case, we deal with months instead of days. We need to determine the probability that, in a group of people, at least two individuals share the same birth month. This exercise helps highlight the surprising outcomes that probability can yield.
probability calculation
Probability calculation is central to solving the birthday problem. It's about determining the chances of a specific event happening. For part (a) of our exercise, the probability that two people share the same birth month is straightforward. We have 12 different months. If two people are chosen at random, the possible ways they can be born in any of the 12 months is 12 x 12 = 144. Since we want both individuals to be born in the same month, there are only 12 favorable outcomes. Thus, the probability is calculated as \(\frac{12}{144} = \frac{1}{12}\). This basic calculation sets the stage for more complex scenarios.
combinatorial probability
Combinatorial probability deals with calculating the likelihood of different combinations of events. For part (b) of the exercise, we use combinatorics to find the probability that at least two people share the same birth month in a group of \(n\) people. The approach involves:
  • Calculating the probability that all \(n\) people are born in different months.

  • Using the formula: \[ P(\text{all different}) = \frac{12}{12} \times \frac{11}{12} \times \frac{10}{12} \times \text{...} \times \frac{12-n+1}{12} \]

  • Finding the complementary probability that at least two people share the same month: \[ 1 - P(\text{all different}) \]
This method employs a step-by-step approach to combinatorial problems, helping us navigate through more complex probability scenarios.
statistical independence
Statistical independence means the occurrence of one event doesn't affect another. This principle is essential in our calculations. When calculating the probability in part (b), we assume the months chosen by each person are independent events. If one person is born in a particular month, it doesn't influence another person's birth month. This independence simplifies our probability calculations, allowing us to multiply probabilities step by step.
Statistical independence plays a crucial role in the birthday problem and many other probability-based scenarios. By understanding it, we can better analyze and solve complex problems involving multiple random events.

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