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Date November 2012 Marks available 8 Reference code 12N.3sp.hl.TZ0.2
Level HL only Paper Paper 3 Statistics and probability Time zone TZ0
Command term Find Question number 2 Adapted from N/A

Question

The n independent random variables \({X_1},{X_2},…,{X_n}\) all have the distribution \({\text{N}}(\mu ,\,{\sigma ^2})\).

 

Find the mean and the variance of

(i)     \({X_1} + {X_2}\) ;

(ii)     \(3{X_1}\);

(iii)     \({X_1} + {X_2} - {X_3}\) ;

(iv)     \(\bar X = \frac{{({X_1} + {X_2} + ... + {X_n})}}{n}\).

[8]
a.

Find \({\text{E}}(X_1^2)\) in terms of \(\mu \) and \(\sigma \) .

[3]
b.

Markscheme

(i)     \(2\mu ,{\text{ }}2{\sigma ^2}\)     A1A1

 

(ii)     \(3\mu ,{\text{ }}9{\sigma ^2}\)     A1A1

 

(iii)     \(\mu ,{\text{ }}3{\sigma ^2}\)     A1A1

 

(iv)     \(\mu ,{\text{ }}\frac{{{\sigma ^2}}}{n}\)     A1A1

Note: If candidate clearly and correctly gives the standard deviations rather than the variances, give A1 for 2 or 3 standard deviations and A1A1 for 4 standard deviations.

 

[8 marks]

a.

\({\text{Var}}({X_1}) = {\text{E}}(X_1^2) - {\left( {{\text{E}}({X_1})} \right)^2}\)     (M1)

\({\sigma ^2} = {\text{E}}(X_1^2) - {\mu ^2}\)     (A1)

\({\text{E}}(X_1^2) = {\sigma ^2} + {\mu ^2}\)     A1

[3 marks]

b.

Examiners report

This was very well answered indeed with very many candidates gaining full marks including, pleasingly, part (b). Candidates who could not do question 2, struggled on the whole paper.

a.

This was very well answered indeed with very many candidates gaining full marks including, pleasingly, part (b). Candidates who could not do question 2, struggled on the whole paper.

b.

Syllabus sections

Topic 7 - Option: Statistics and probability » 7.2 » Linear transformation of a single random variable.

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