Department of Mathematics University of Moratuwa

Faculty of Engineering Semester 2- 2010

MA 1022- MATHEMATICAL METHODS

_________________________________________________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT 1
Distributed during the week starting on 03/05/2010.Assignment 1 will be discussed in class

1. For the following numbers 𝑥𝐴 and 𝑥𝑇 , find the number of significant digits in 𝑥𝐴 with respect to 𝑥𝑇 .
a. 𝑥𝐴 = 451.023 , 𝑥𝑇 = 451.01
b. 𝑥𝐴 = −0.045113 , 𝑥𝑇 = −0.04518
c. 𝑥𝐴 = 23.4213 , 𝑥𝑇 = 23.4604

2. Using the Taylor expansion of 𝑥 = sin 𝑥 , find the approximate value of sin 33° by considering the
first five terms of the expansion. Also deduce the maximum error made.

0.5 𝑥 2
3. Given that 0
𝑒 𝑑𝑥 = 0.544987104184, determine the accuracy of the approximation obtained by
2
replacing the integrand 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑥 with the truncated Taylor series
2
𝑥4 𝑥6 𝑥8
𝑃8 𝑥 = 1 + 𝑥 + + + .
2! 3! 4!

4. A computer application software accesses two files which are downloaded sequentially. The
downloading times, 𝑇1 and 𝑇2 of the two files are modeled as two independent normal random variables
with means 𝜇1 and 𝜇2 and known standard deviations 𝜎1 = 0.3 and 𝜎2 = 0.4 respectively. The total
downloading time is given by 𝑇 = 𝑇1 + 𝑇2 .
i. Initially it is assumed that 𝜇1 = 2 seconds and 𝜇2 = 3 seconds. Find, 𝑃 𝑇1 > 2.6 and 𝑃 𝑇2 > 4
ii. To assess the accuracy of the reported means, a sample of 50 downloading times is measured for
each file giving sample means of 2.01 and 3.97 for 𝑇1 and 𝑇2 respectively.
a. Find 95% confidence intervals for 𝜇1 and 𝜇2 .
b. Comment on these confidence intervals in light of the initial assumptions in part (i).
c. What is the distribution of the total downloading time?
d. Determine a 95% confidence interval for the mean total downloading time.
e. Under the assumptions in part (i) determine the probability that the mean total downloading time is
greater than the upper bound of the confidence interval calculated in part (ii)(d). Comment on your
result.

5. The number of arrivals at the Regional computer center at a express service counter between 12noon
and 3pm has a Poisson distribution with mean of 1.2 per minute. Determine
a. The probability of no arrivals during a given 1 minute interval
b. The probability of no arrivals during a given 5 minutes interval
c. The probability of more than 2 arrivals in a given 3 minute interval

6. If each student in the MA1022 tutorial class of 120 has the same probability, 0.7, of passing the
Mathematical Methods examination, what is
a. The expected number of passes?
b. The standard deviation of the number of passes?
c. Probability that the number of passes will be more than 60 and less than 80.
d. Probability that exactly 60 students pass the examination.

Department of Mathematics, 03/05/2010

Website:http://www.math.mrt.ac.lk/content/kevin_notes/ma1022_tutorial_2010
Department of Mathematics University of Moratuwa
Faculty of Engineering Semester 2- 2010

MA 1022- MATHEMATICAL METHODS

_________________________________________________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT 2
Write answers to all questions and submit during the week starting on 17/05/2010

1. Using the Taylor series representation, derive a formula to calculate the approximate value of 𝑓 ′ (𝑥)
taking small length ℎ = 0.3 where
𝑥
𝑓 𝑥 = 7𝑒 2
Hence find the
a. Approximate value of 𝑓 ′ (2)
b. True value of 𝑓 ′ (2)
c. True error of 𝑓 ′ (2)
d. Relative error of 𝑓 ′ (2).

2. Given the equation 𝑥 2 − 26𝑥 + 1 = 0 find its root to five significant digits. Use 168 = 12.861 and
compare the errors of roots.

3. Show that
𝑅𝑒𝑙 𝑥𝐴 − 𝑅𝑒𝑙(𝑦𝐴 )
𝑅𝑒𝑙 𝑥𝐴 𝑦𝐴 =
1 − 𝑅𝑒𝑙(𝑦𝐴 )
Hence deduce that, 𝑅𝑒𝑙 𝑥𝐴 𝑦𝐴 ≈ 𝑅𝑒𝑙 𝑥𝐴 − 𝑅𝑒𝑙 𝑦𝐴 .
(Note that 𝑅𝑒𝑙(𝑎) denotes the Relative error of 𝑎)

4. A salesman sells policies to 5 engineering companies. The probability that each of these companies will
make a claim over the next five years is 1 5. Find the probability that, over the next five years,
a. All companies will claim;
b. At least three companies will claim;
c. Only two will claim;
d. At least one will not claim.

5. If 𝑋 and 𝑌 are independent normal variables having a common mean 𝜇 such that,
𝑃 2𝑋 + 4𝑌 ≤ 10 + 𝑃 3𝑋 + 𝑌 ≤ 9 = 1 and 𝑃 2𝑋 − 4𝑌 ≤ 6 + 𝑃 𝑌 − 3𝑋 ≥ 1 = 1
Determine the value of 𝜇 and the ratio of the variances of 𝑋 and 𝑌.

6. Customers arrive at a bank according to a Poisson process at a mean rate of 10 per minute. 60% of the
customers wish to withdraw money (type A), 30% wish to pay in money (type B), and 10% wish to do
something else.

a. What is the probability that more than 5 customers arrive in 30 seconds?

b. What is the probability that in 1 minute, 6 type A customers, 3 type B customers, and 1 type C
customers arrive?

Department of Mathematics, 03/05/2010

Website:http://www.math.mrt.ac.lk/content/kevin_notes/ma1022_tutorial_2010