9709/51

Mathematics 9709/51October/November 2024

Cambridge AS Level · Probability & Statistics 1 · worked solutions for every part, with the mark scheme

7
questions
50
marks
75
minutes

Topics Discrete Random Variables · Probability · The Normal Distribution · Representation of Data · Permutations and Combinations

Q1MediumDiscrete Random Variables

Nicola throws an ordinary fair six-sided dice. The random variable XX is the number of throws that she takes to obtain a 6.

(a)

Find P(X<8)P(X < 8).

2M
(b)

Find the probability that Nicola obtains a 6 for the second time on her 8th throw.

2M
Q2MediumDiscrete Random Variables

The random variable XX takes the values 2,1,0,2,3-2, -1, 0, 2, 3. It is given that P(X=x)=k(x2+2)P(X = x) = k(x^2 + 2), where kk is a positive constant.

(a)

Draw up the probability distribution table for XX, giving the probabilities as numerical fractions.

3M
(b)

Find the value of Var(X)\text{Var}(X).

3M
Q3MediumRepresentation of Data

The time taken, in minutes, to walk to school was recorded for 200 pupils at a certain school. These times are summarised in the following table.

Time taken (tt minutes)t15t \leq 15t25t \leq 25t30t \leq 30t40t \leq 40t50t \leq 50t70t \leq 70
Cumulative frequency184688140176200
(a)

Draw a cumulative frequency graph to illustrate the data.

2M
(b)

Use your graph to estimate the median and the interquartile range of the data.

3M
(c)

Calculate an estimate for the mean value of the times taken by the 200 pupils to walk to school.

3M
Q4MediumProbability

Rahul has two bags, XX and YY. Bag XX contains 4 red marbles and 2 blue marbles. Bag YY contains 3 red marbles and 4 blue marbles. Rahul also has a coin which is biased so that the probability of obtaining a head when it is thrown is 14\frac{1}{4}.

Rahul throws the coin.

  • If he obtains a head, he chooses at random a marble from bag XX. He notes the colour and replaces the marble in bag XX. He then chooses at random a second marble from bag XX.
  • If he obtains a tail, he chooses at random a marble from bag YY. He notes the colour and discards the marble. He then chooses at random a second marble from bag YY.
(a)

Find the probability that the two marbles that Rahul chooses are the same colour.

3M
(b)

Find the probability that the two marbles that Rahul chooses are both from bag YY given that both marbles are blue.

3M
Q5MediumThe Normal DistributionDiscrete Random Variables

The weights of the green apples sold by a shop are normally distributed with mean 90 grams and standard deviation 8 grams.

(a)

Find the probability that a randomly chosen green apple weighs between 83 grams and 95 grams.

4M
(b)

The shop also sells red apples. 60% of the red apples sold by the shop weigh more than 80 grams. 160 red apples are chosen at random from the shop.

Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that fewer than 105 of the chosen red apples weigh more than 80 grams.

5M
Q6MediumThe Normal DistributionDiscrete Random Variables

The heights of the female students at Breven college are normally distributed:

  • 90% of the female students have heights less than 182.7 cm.
  • 40% of the female students have heights less than 162.5 cm.
(a)

Find the mean and the standard deviation of the heights of the female students at Breven college.

5M
(b)

Ten female students are chosen at random from those at Breven college.

Find the probability that fewer than 8 of these 10 students have heights more than 162.5 cm.

3M
Q7MediumPermutations and CombinationsProbability
(a)

How many different arrangements are there of the 9 letters in the word INTELLECT in which the two Ts are together?

2M
(b)

How many different arrangements are there of the 9 letters in the word INTELLECT in which there is a T at each end and the two Es are not next to each other?

3M
(c)

Four letters are selected at random from the 9 letters in the word INTELLECT.

Find the percentage of the possible selections which contain at least one E and exactly one T.

4M