Chapter 2: Problem 69
If \(X\) is normally distributed with mean 1 and variance 4 , use the tables to
find \(P\\{2
Short Answer
Expert verified
The probability that a normally distributed random variable \(X\) with mean 1 and variance 4 falls between 2 and 3 is approximately 0.1498, or 14.98%.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the given parameters.
The problem states that \(X\) is normally distributed with a mean (\(\mu\)) of 1 and a variance (\(\sigma^2\)) of 4. From the given variance, we can find the standard deviation (\(\sigma\)) by taking the square root of the variance. Therefore,
$$
\sigma = \sqrt{4} = 2.
$$
02
Standardize the random variable using Z-scores.
To calculate the Z-scores, we need to subtract the mean from the given values and divide by the standard deviation. The Z-score formula is given by:
$$
Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}
$$
We will apply this formula to both the lower (\(X_1 = 2\)) and upper (\(X_2 = 3\)) boundaries of our desired range. Our goal is to find \(P\{Z_1 < Z < Z_2\}\), with \(Z_1\) and \(Z_2\) being the Z-scores corresponding to \(X_1\) and \(X_2\).
Calculating these Z-scores, we have:
$$
Z_1 = \frac{X_1 - \mu}{\sigma} = \frac{2 - 1}{2} = 0.5
$$
$$
Z_2 = \frac{X_2 - \mu}{\sigma} = \frac{3 - 1}{2} = 1
$$
03
Find the probabilities in the Z-table.
Now, using a standard normal table (Z-table), we can lookup the probabilities corresponding to the calculated Z-scores \(Z_1 = 0.5\) and \(Z_2 = 1\). These probabilities represent the area under the curve to the left of each Z-score.
According to the Z-table:
\(P\{Z < 0.5 \} = 0.6915\) and
\(P\{ Z < 1\} = 0.8413\)
04
Calculate the probability for the desired range.
To find the probability \(P\{2<X<3\}\), we can subtract the probability of \(Z_1\) from the probability of \(Z_2\). Using the probabilities we found in the Z-table:
$$
P\{2 < X < 3\} = P\{0.5 < Z < 1\} = P\{Z < 1\} - P\{Z < 0.5\} = 0.8413 - 0.6915 = 0.1498
$$
So, the probability of the random variable \(X\) falling between 2 and 3 is approximately 0.1498, or 14.98%.
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Z-score
The Z-score helps in understanding how far a specific data point is from the mean of a dataset, measured in terms of standard deviations. In the context of a normal distribution, this score represents the standardization of any given point of data. Thanks to this score, different data points can be compared on the same scale:
- The Z-score is calculated by subtracting the mean from the data point and dividing by the standard deviation: \( Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma} \).
- This transformation converts any normal distribution to the standard normal distribution, making it straightforward to work with probability tables.
Standard deviation
The standard deviation is a key measure in statistics that indicates the extent of variation or dispersion of a set of values:
- It reflects how much the values in a dataset deviate from the mean.
- This measurement is essential in defining how spread out the values are in a normal distribution.
Probability tables
Probability tables, or Z-tables, are indispensable tools for finding the probabilities associated with specific Z-scores.
- These tables show the cumulative probability of a standard normal distribution up to any given Z-score.
- When you look up a Z-score in a probability table, you get the probability of a random variable being less than or equal to that Z-score.
Variance
Variance is fundamental in statistics for quantifying how much a set of numbers differs from the mean:
- The variance \( \sigma^2 \) is the mean of the squared deviations from the average value of the dataset.
- It directly relates to the standard deviation as the square root of variance results in the standard deviation.