Math 231

Practice Problems on Sampling Distribution and C.L.Thm.

1. Consider the box below containing 4 tickets shown

-3
-3
0
6
Three tickets are drawn with replacement from the box. Denote their numbers by
X1 , X2 , X3 , and let X be their mean. Find (P (X 3).
2. A random sample of size 4 is taken from a normal population with mean 200 and vari be the sample mean.
ance 32. Let X
< 205).
a) Find P (195 < X
Another random sample of size 4 is taken from the same population. Let Y be its sample
mean.
by at most 5.
b) Find the probability that Y differs from X
3. Let X1 and X2 be independent variables and each has following probability mass function
x
p(x)

-1

1/4

1/2

1/4

Determine the exact distribution of X1 +X2 .

4. Refer to previous problem. Let X1 , ..., X100 be independent random variables and each
has the same probability mass function given in the previous Problem. Find a normal
approximation to P (X 0.4), where X is the sample mean of X1 , ..., X100 .
5. A candy maker produces mints that have a label weight of 20 grams. Assume that the
distribution of the actual weights of these mints is normally distributed with mean equal
21 and standard deviation 0.5.
(a) Let X be the weight of a single mint selected at random from the production line.
Find the probability that it is underweight, i.e., findP (X < 20).
(b) Suppose that 5 mints are selected at random and weighted. Let Y be the number
of these mints that weight less than 20 grams. Then find the exact value of P (Y > 3).
(c) Suppose that 100 mints are selected at random and weighted. Find a normal approximation to that the probability that at least 4% of these mints are underweight.
6. Refer to previous problem. Let X1 , ..., X100 be independent random variables and each
has the same probability mass function given in the previous Problem. Find a normal
approximation to P (X1 + ... + X100 7.0).

7. Let X and Y be the lifetimes (in 1000s of hours) of two devices. Assume that X and
Y be independent random variables with a common probability density function f(x) =
2e2x when x > 0, and zero otherwise.
(a) Find P( X > 1/2 and Y > 1/2).
(b) Find the the probability at least one of the two devices is still operating after 500
hours.
8. The probability that a machine produces a defective item is 0.05. Each item is checked
as it is produced. Assume that these are independent trials.
(a) Compute the exact probability that at least 10 items must be checked to find one
that is defective;
(b) Compute a normal approximation to the probability that at least 3 items are
defective in a sample of 100 items.
9. How large a random sample is required to estimate the proportion p of women employed
in a large city with approximately 95% sure that the estimate is within 3 percentage
points of the true proportion?