4.4 Geometric Distribution (Optional)

You throw darts at a board until you hit the center area. Your probability of hitting the center area is p = 0.17. You want to find the probability that it takes eight throws until you hit the center. What values does X take on?

An instructor feels that 15 percent of students get below a C on their final exam. She decides to look at final exams (selected randomly and replaced in the pile after reading) until she finds one that shows a grade below a C. We want to know the probability that the instructor will have to examine at least 10 exams until she finds one with a grade below a C. What is the probability question state…

This is a geometric problem because you may have a number of failures before you have the one success you desire. Also, the probability of a success stays the same each time you ask a student if he or she lives within five miles of you. There is no definite number of trials (number of times you ask a student).

a. Let X = the number of ________ you must ask ________ one says yes.

This is a geometric problem because you may have a number of failures before you have the one success you desire. Also, the probability of a success stays the same each time you ask a student if he or she lives within five miles of you. There is no definite number of trials (number of times you ask a student).

b. What values does X take on?

This is a geometric problem because you may have a number of failures before you have the one success you desire. Also, the probability of a success stays the same each time you ask a student if he or she lives within five miles of you. There is no definite number of trials (number of times you ask a student).

c. What are p and q?

This is a geometric problem because you may have a number of failures before you have the one success you desire. Also, the probability of a success stays the same each time you ask a student if he or she lives within five miles of you. There is no definite number of trials (number of times you ask a student).

d. The probability question is P(_______).

You need to find a store that carries a special printer ink. You know that of the stores that carry printer ink, 10 percent of them carry the special ink. You randomly call each store until one has the ink you need. What are p and q?

The probability of a defective steel rod is .01. Steel rods are selected at random. Find the probability that the first defect occurs on the ninth steel rod. Use the TI-83+ or TI-84 calculator to find the answer.

The lifetime risk of developing pancreatic cancer is about one in 78 (1.28 percent). Let X = the number of people you ask until one says he or she has pancreatic cancer. Then X is a discrete random variable with a geometric distribution: X ~ G$\left(\frac{1}{78}\right)$ or X ~ G(.0128).

1. What is the probability that you ask 10 people before one says he or she has pancreatic cancer?
2. What is the probability that you must ask 2…

The literacy rate for a nation measures the proportion of people age 15 and over who can read and write. The literacy rate for women in Afghanistan is 12 percent. Let X = the number of Afghani women you ask until one says that she is literate.

1. What is the probability distribution of X?
2. What is the probability that you ask five women before one says she is literate?
3. What is the probability that yo…

Use the following information to answer the next six exercises: Researchers collected data from 203,967 incoming first-time, full-time freshmen from 270 four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Of those students, 71.3 percent replied that, yes, they agree with a recent law that was passed. Suppose that you randomly select freshman from the study until you find one who replies yes.…

Use the following information to answer the next six exercises: Researchers collected data from 203,967 incoming first-time, full-time freshmen from 270 four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Of those students, 71.3 percent replied that, yes, they agree with a recent law that was passed. Suppose that you randomly select freshman from the study until you find one who replies yes.…

Use the following information to answer the next six exercises: Researchers collected data from 203,967 incoming first-time, full-time freshmen from 270 four-year colleges and universities in the United States. Of those students, 71.3 percent replied that, yes, they agree with a recent law that was passed. Suppose that you randomly select freshman from the study until you find one who replies yes.…

Suppose that the probability that an adult in America will watch the Super Bowl is 40 percent. Each person is considered independent. We are interested in the number of adults in America we must survey until we find one who will watch the Super Bowl.

1. In words, define the random variable X.
2. List the values that X may take on.
3. Give the distribution of X. X ~ _____(_____,_____)
4. How many adults in Ame…

In one of its spring catalogs, a retailer advertised footwear on 29 of its 192 catalog pages. Suppose we randomly survey 20 pages. We are interested in the number of pages that advertise footwear. Each page may be picked more than once.

1. In words, define the random variable X.
2. List the values that X may take on.
3. Give the distribution of X. X ~ _____(_____,_____)
4. How many pages do you expect to adve…

Ellen has music practice three days a week. She practices for all of the three days 85 percent of the time, two days 8 percent of the time, one day 4 percent of the time, and no days 3 percent of the time. One week is selected at random. What values does X take on?

According to a recent poll, 75 percent of millennials (people born between 1981 and 1995) have a profile on a social networking site. Let X = the number of millennials you ask until you find a person without a profile on a social networking site.

1. Describe the distribution of X.
2. Find the (i) mean and (ii) standard deviation of X.
3. What is the probability that you must ask 10 people to find one person…