SBS3013:

 Biostatistics  

Tutorial  2:  Probability  

 
1.   A  digital  scale  is  used  that  provide  weights  to  the  nearest  gram.    
Let  event  
A  -­‐  a  weight  exceeds  11  grams  
B  -­‐  a  weight  is  less  than  or  equal  to  15  grams  
C  -­‐  a  weight  is  greater  than  or  equal  to  8  grams  and  less  than  12  grams.  
 
a) What  is  the  sample  space  for  this  experiment?  
b) Describe  the  following  events  
i. A  U  B          
ii. A  ∩  B  
iii. A’  
iv. (A  U  B)  ∩  (A  ∩  C)’  
v. (A  U  C)’          
vi. A  ∩  B  ∩  C  
vii. B’  ∩  C  
viii. A  U  (B  ∩  C)  
 
2.     Suppose   each   student   is   assigned   a   5   digit   number.   How   many   different  
numbers  can  be  created?  
 
3.   A   chemist   wishes   to   conduct   an   experiment   to   determine   how   these   four  
factors  affect  the  quality  of  the  coating.  She  is  interested  in  comparing  three  
charge  levels,  five  density  levels,  four  temperature  levels,  and  three  speed  
levels.  How  many  experimental  conditions  are  possible?    
 
4.     Suppose  you  can  order  a  car  in  one  of  three  styles:  manual,  automatic,  and  
deluxe   automatic.   Each   style   comes   with   four   paint   colors.   How   many  
options  are  there  available?  
 
5.   A   menu   has   five   appetizers,   three   soup,   seven   main   course,   six   salad  
dressings  and  eight  desserts.  In  how  many  ways  can  
a) A  full  meal  be  chosen?          
b) A  meal  be  chosen  if  either  and  appetizer  or  a  soup  is  ordered,  but  not  
both?  
 
6.     A  university  warehouse  has  received  shipment  of  25  printers,  of  which  10  
are  laser  printers  and  15  are  inkjet  models.    
a) If   6   of     these   25   are   selected   at   random   by   a   technician,   what   is   the  
probability  that  exactly  3  of  those  selected  are  laser  printers?    
b) If   6   of     these   25   are   selected   at   random   by   a   technician,   what   is   the  
probability  that  at  least  3  inkjet  printers  are  selected?  
 SBS3013:  Biostatistics  

7.     There   are   17   broken   light   bulbs   in   a   box   of   100   light   bulbs.   A   random  
sample  of  3  light  bulbs  is  chosen  without  replacement.  
a) How  many  ways  are  there  to  choose  the  sample?  
b)     How  many  samples  contain  no  broken  light  bulbs?  
c)     What  is  the  probability  that  the  sample  contains  no  broken  light  bulbs?  
d)     How   many   ways   to   choose   a   sample   that   contains   exactly   1   broken  
light  bulb?  
e)     What   is   the   probability   that   the   sample   contains   no   more   than   1  
broken  light  bulb?  
 
8.   An   agricultural   research   establishment   grows   vegetables   and   grade   each  
one  as  either  good  or  bad  for  taste,  good  or  bad  for  its  size,  and  good  or  bad  
for   its   appearance.   Overall,   78%   of   the   vegetables   have   a   good   taste.  
However,   only   69%   of   the   vegetables   have   both   a   good   taste   and   a   good  
size.  Also,  5%  of  the  vegetables  have  a  good  taste  and  a  good  appearance,  
but  a  bad  size.  Finally,  84%  of  the  vegetables  have  either  a  good  size  or  a  
good  appearance.  
a) if   a   vegetable   has   a   good   taste,   what   is   the   probability   that   it   also   has   a  
good  size?  
b) if   a   vegetable   has   a   bad   size   and   a   bad   appearance,   what   is   the  
probability  that  it  has  a  good  taste?  
 
 
9.   A  local  library  displays  three  types  of  books  entitled  “Science”  (S),  
“Arts”  (A),    and  “Novels”    (N).  Reading  habits  of  randomly  selected  
reader  with  respect  to  these  types  of  books  are  
 
 
    Read  regularly              S                A                N                  S∩A            S∩N          A∩N        S∩A∩N  
        Probability                  0.14        0.23        0.37          0.08          0.09            0.13            0.05  
 
Find  the  following  probabilities  and  interpret  
a) P(  S  |  A  )  
b) P(  S  |  A  U  N  )  
c) P(  S  |  reads  at  least  one  )  
d) P(  S  U  A  |  N)  
 
   
 SBS3013:  Biostatistics  

 
10.   A   batch   of   500   containers   for   frozen   orange   juice   contains   5   that   are  
defective.   Two   are   selected   at   random,   without   replacement,   from   the  
batch.   Let   A   and   B   denote   that   the   first   and   second   selected   is   defective  
respectively,  
 
a) are    A  and  B  independent  events?  
b)       if   the   sampling   were   done   with   replacement,   would   A   and   B   be  
independent?  
 
11.     Everyday   (Mon   to   Fri)   a   batch   of   components   sent   by   a   first   supplier  
arrives  at  certain  inspection  facility.  Two  days  a  week,  a  batch  also  arrives  
from  a  second  supplier.  Eighty  percent  of  all  batches  from  supplier  1  pass  
inspection,  and  90%  batches  of  supplier  2  pass  inspection.  
           
On  a  randomly  selected  day,  what  is  the  probability  that  two  batches  pass  
inspection?    
12.   An   automobile   is   randomly   chosen.   Let   A   =   {the   car   has   four   cylinders}  
where  P(A)  >  0,  and  let  B  =  {  the  car  has  six  cylinders}.  Are  events  A  and  B  
independent  or  mutually  exclusive?      
 
13.   Toss  a  single  die  and  observe  the  events  
             A:  a  number  less  than  4  
             B:  a  number  less  than  or  equal  to  2  
             C:  a  number  greater  than  3  
 
 a)   Are  events  A  and  B  independent  or  mutually  exclusive?  
 b)   Are  events  A  and  C  independent  or  mutually  exclusive?    
 
14.   The   probability   is   1%   that   an   electrical   connector   that   is   kept   dry   fails  
during  the  warranty  period  of  a  portable  computer.  If  the  connector  is  ever  
wet,  the  probability  of  a  failure  during  the  warranty  period  is  5%.  If  90%  of  
the   connectors   are   kept   dry   and   10%   are   wet,   what   proportion   of  
connectors  fail  during  the  warranty  period?  
 
15.   Computer  keyboard  failures  are  due  to  faulty  electrical  connects  (12%)  or  
mechanical   defects   (88%).   Mechanical   defects   are   related   to   loose   keys  
(27%)  or  improper  assembly  (73%).  Electrical  connect  defects  are  caused  
by   defective   wires   (35%),   improper   connections   (13%)   or   poorly   welded  
wires  (52%).  Find  the  probability,  
a) that  a  failure  is  due  to  loose  keys.  
b) that  a  failure  is  due  to  improperly  connected  or  poorly  welded  wires.  
 
 SBS3013:  Biostatistics  

16.     During   a   space   shot,   the   primary   computer   system   is   backed   up   by   two  
secondary  systems.  They  operate  independently  of  one  another,  and  each  is  
90%  reliable.    
 
What  is  the  probability  that  all  three  systems  will  be  operable  at  the  time  of  
the  launch?