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Date May 2008 Marks available 6 Reference code 08M.2.hl.TZ2.11
Level HL only Paper 2 Time zone TZ2
Command term Find Question number 11 Adapted from N/A

Question

The distance travelled by students to attend Gauss College is modelled by a normal distribution with mean 6 km and standard deviation 1.5 km.

(i)     Find the probability that the distance travelled to Gauss College by a randomly selected student is between 4.8 km and 7.5 km.

(ii)     15 % of students travel less than d km to attend Gauss College. Find the value of d.

[7]
a.

At Euler College, the distance travelled by students to attend their school is modelled by a normal distribution with mean μμ km and standard deviation σσ km.

If 10 % of students travel more than 8 km and 5 % of students travel less than 2 km, find the value of μμ and of σσ .

[6]
b.

The number of telephone calls, T, received by Euler College each minute can be modelled by a Poisson distribution with a mean of 3.5.

(i)     Find the probability that at least three telephone calls are received by Euler College in each of two successive one-minute intervals.

(ii)     Find the probability that Euler College receives 15 telephone calls during a randomly selected five-minute interval.

[8]
c.

Markscheme

(i)     P(4.8<X<7.5)=P(0.8<Z<1)P(4.8<X<7.5)=P(0.8<Z<1)     (M1)

= 0.629     A1     N2

Note: Accept P(4.8X7.5)=P(0.8Z1) .

 

(ii)     Stating P(X<d)=0.15 or sketching an appropriately labelled diagram.     A1

d61.5=1.0364     (M1)(A1)

d = (−1.0364...)(1.5) + 6     (M1)

= 4.45 (km)     A1     N4

[7 marks]

a.

Stating both P(X>8)=0.1 and P(X<2)=0.05 or sketching an appropriately labelled diagram.     R1

Setting up two equations in μ and σ     (M1)

8 = μ + (1.281…)σ and 2 = μ − (1.644…)σ     A1

Attempting to solve for μ and σ (including by graphical means)     (M1)

σ = 2.05 (km) and μ = 5.37 (km)     A1A1     N4

Note: Accept μ = 5.36, 5.38 .

 

[6 marks]

b.

(i)     Use of the Poisson distribution in an inequality.     M1

P(T3)=1P(T2)     (A1)

= 0.679...     A1

Required probability is (0.679)2=0.461     M1A1     N3

Note: Allow FT for their value of P(T3) .

 

(ii)     τPo(17.5)     A1

P(τ=15)=e17.5(17.5)1515!     (M1)

= 0.0849     A1     N2

[8 marks]

c.

Examiners report

This question was generally well done despite a large proportion of candidates being awarded an accuracy penalty. Candidates found part (a) (i) to be quite straightforward and was generally done very well. In part (a) (ii), a number of candidates used d61.5=1.0364 instead of d61.5=1.0364 . In part (b), a pleasingly high number of candidates were able to set up and solve a pair of simultaneous linear equations to correctly find the values of μ and σ. Some candidates prematurely rounded intermediate results. In part (c), a number of candidates were unable to express a correct Poisson inequality. Common errors included stating P(T3)=1P(T3) and using μ=7.

a.

This question was generally well done despite a large proportion of candidates being awarded an accuracy penalty. Candidates found part (a) (i) to be quite straightforward and was generally done very well. In part (a) (ii), a number of candidates used d61.5=1.0364 instead of d61.5=1.0364 . In part (b), a pleasingly high number of candidates were able to set up and solve a pair of simultaneous linear equations to correctly find the values of μ and σ. Some candidates prematurely rounded intermediate results. In part (c), a number of candidates were unable to express a correct Poisson inequality. Common errors included stating P(T3)=1P(T3) and using μ=7.

b.

This question was generally well done despite a large proportion of candidates being awarded an accuracy penalty. Candidates found part (a) (i) to be quite straightforward and was generally done very well. In part (a) (ii), a number of candidates used d61.5=1.0364 instead of d61.5=1.0364 . In part (b), a pleasingly high number of candidates were able to set up and solve a pair of simultaneous linear equations to correctly find the values of μ and σ. Some candidates prematurely rounded intermediate results. In part (c), a number of candidates were unable to express a correct Poisson inequality. Common errors included stating P(T3)=1P(T3) and using μ=7.

c.

Syllabus sections

Topic 5 - Core: Statistics and probability » 5.7 » Normal distribution.
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