A biased die in the form of a tetrahedron has its four faces labelled 1 to 4, with one number printed on each face. The die is tossed and XX is the random variable representing the number on the face on which the die lands. The probability distribution of XX is shown in the table below.
xx1234
P(X=x)\mathrm{P}(X = x)ppqqqqpp
A game is played by a player tossing this die once. If the die lands on the face with the number 4 printed on it, the player wins, otherwise the player loses. The random variable YY denotes the number of wins out of 50 games the player plays.

  1. (a)

    State the numerical value of E(X)\mathrm{E}(X).

  2. (b)

    Given that Var⁡(X)=1.65\operatorname{Var}(X) = 1.65, find the values of pp and qq.

  3. (c)

    State two assumptions needed for YY to be well modelled by a binomial distribution.

  4. (d)

    Assume that YY follows a binomial distribution.

    Find the probability the player wins more than the expected number of games won.

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Worked solution

10(a)

1. Determine the value of $\mathrm{E}(X)$ using the sum of probabilities or symmetry

Since the sum of all probabilities is 11:
2p+2q=1  ⟹  p+q=0.52p + 2q = 1 \implies p + q = 0.5

Using the formula for expectation:
E(X)=1(p)+2(q)+3(q)+4(p)\mathrm{E}(X) = 1(p) + 2(q) + 3(q) + 4(p)
E(X)=5p+5q=5(p+q)\mathrm{E}(X) = 5p + 5q = 5(p + q)
E(X)=5(0.5)=2.5\mathrm{E}(X) = 5(0.5) = 2.5

(Alternatively, by observing that the probability distribution is perfectly symmetrical about 2.52.5, one can directly state E(X)=2.5\mathrm{E}(X) = 2.5.)

Answer

2.52.5

10(b)

1. Establish the first equation using the sum of probabilities.

∑P(X=x)=1\sum \mathrm{P}(X=x) = 1
2p+2q=12p + 2q = 1
p+q=0.5  ⟹  q=0.5−pp + q = 0.5 \implies q = 0.5 - p

2. Express $\mathrm{E}(X^2)$ in terms of $p$ and $q$.

E(X2)=12(p)+22(q)+32(q)+42(p)\mathrm{E}(X^2) = 1^2(p) + 2^2(q) + 3^2(q) + 4^2(p)
=p+4q+9q+16p= p + 4q + 9q + 16p
=17p+13q= 17p + 13q

3. Form a second equation using the given variance and the value of $\mathrm{E}(X)$ from part (a).

From part (a), by symmetry, E(X)=2.5\mathrm{E}(X) = 2.5.
Var⁡(X)=E(X2)−[E(X)]2\operatorname{Var}(X) = \mathrm{E}(X^2) - [\mathrm{E}(X)]^2
1.65=(17p+13q)−(2.5)21.65 = (17p + 13q) - (2.5)^2
1.65=17p+13q−6.251.65 = 17p + 13q - 6.25
17p+13q=7.917p + 13q = 7.9

4. Solve the simultaneous equations to find $p$ and $q$.

Substitute q=0.5−pq = 0.5 - p into the variance equation:
17p+13(0.5−p)=7.917p + 13(0.5 - p) = 7.9
17p+6.5−13p=7.917p + 6.5 - 13p = 7.9
4p=1.44p = 1.4
p=0.35p = 0.35

Substitute p=0.35p = 0.35 back to find qq:
q=0.5−0.35=0.15q = 0.5 - 0.35 = 0.15

Answer

p=0.35,q=0.15p = 0.35, q = 0.15

10(c)

1. State the assumption of independence between trials

The outcome of each game (whether the player wins or loses) must be independent of all other games.

2. State the assumption of a constant probability of success

The probability of winning (getting a 4) must remain constant for every game played.

Answer
  1. The outcome of each game is independent of the outcomes of all other games.
  2. The probability of winning remains constant for every game.

10(d)

1. Find the value of $p$ using the probability distribution and conditions from earlier parts.

From the probability table, the sum of probabilities is 11:
2p+2q=1  ⟹  p+q=0.52p + 2q = 1 \implies p + q = 0.5
The expected value is:
E(X)=1(p)+2(q)+3(q)+4(p)=5p+5q=5(0.5)=2.5\mathrm{E}(X) = 1(p) + 2(q) + 3(q) + 4(p) = 5p + 5q = 5(0.5) = 2.5
Using the given Var⁡(X)=1.65\operatorname{Var}(X) = 1.65:
E(X2)−[E(X)]2=1.65\mathrm{E}(X^2) - [\mathrm{E}(X)]^2 = 1.65
[12(p)+22(q)+32(q)+42(p)]−2.52=1.65[1^2(p) + 2^2(q) + 3^2(q) + 4^2(p)] - 2.5^2 = 1.65
17p+13q=1.65+6.25=7.917p + 13q = 1.65 + 6.25 = 7.9
Substituting q=0.5−pq = 0.5 - p:
17p+13(0.5−p)=7.917p + 13(0.5 - p) = 7.9
4p+6.5=7.9  ⟹  4p=1.4  ⟹  p=0.354p + 6.5 = 7.9 \implies 4p = 1.4 \implies p = 0.35

2. Define the distribution of $Y$ and find the expected number of games won.

The probability of winning a game (landing on 4) is p=0.35p = 0.35.
Given 5050 games, Y∼B(50,0.35)Y \sim \mathrm{B}(50, 0.35).

The expected number of games won is:
E(Y)=np=50×0.35=17.5\mathrm{E}(Y) = np = 50 \times 0.35 = 17.5

3. Calculate the probability that the player wins more than the expected number of games.

We require P(Y>17.5)\mathrm{P}(Y > 17.5). Since YY is a discrete integer count:
P(Y>17.5)=P(Y≥18)\mathrm{P}(Y > 17.5) = \mathrm{P}(Y \ge 18)
P(Y≥18)=1−P(Y≤17)\mathrm{P}(Y \ge 18) = 1 - \mathrm{P}(Y \le 17)
Using a graphing calculator:
P(Y≥18)≈1−0.499066=0.500934\mathrm{P}(Y \ge 18) \approx 1 - 0.499066 = 0.500934
P(Y≥18)≈0.501 (to 3 s.f.)\mathrm{P}(Y \ge 18) \approx 0.501 \text{ (to 3 s.f.)}

Answer

0.5010.501

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