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Date May 2016 Marks available 6 Reference code 16M.1.hl.TZ2.5
Level HL only Paper 1 Time zone TZ2
Command term Determine Question number 5 Adapted from N/A

Question

A biased coin is tossed five times. The probability of obtaining a head in any one throw is \(p\).

Let \(X\) be the number of heads obtained.

Find, in terms of \(p\), an expression for \({\text{P}}(X = 4)\).

[2]
a.

(i)     Determine the value of \(p\) for which \({\text{P}}(X = 4)\) is a maximum.

(ii)     For this value of \(p\), determine the expected number of heads.

[6]
b.

Markscheme

\(X \sim {\text{B}}(5,{\text{ }}p)\)    (M1)

\({\text{P}}(X = 4) = \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} 5 \\ 4 \end{array}} \right){p^4}(1 - p)\) (or equivalent)     A1

[2 marks]

a.

(i)     \(\frac{{\text{d}}}{{{\text{d}}p}}(5{p^4} - 5{p^5}) = 20{p^3} - 25{p^4}\)     M1A1

\(5{p^3}(4 - 5p) = 0 \Rightarrow p = \frac{4}{5}\)    M1A1

 

Note:     Do not award the final A1 if \(p = 0\) is included in the answer.

 

(ii)     \({\text{E}}(X) = np = 5\left( {\frac{4}{5}} \right)\)     (M1)

\( = 4\)    A1

[6 marks]

b.

Examiners report

This question was generally very well done and posed few problems except for the weakest candidates.

a.

This question was generally very well done and posed few problems except for the weakest candidates.

b.

Syllabus sections

Topic 5 - Core: Statistics and probability » 5.6 » Binomial distribution, its mean and variance.
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