MAN202-Unit-II: Problems Random Variables
1. If X is a discrete random variable having the probability distribution:
X=x 1 2 3
P(X=x) k 2k k
Determine the value of k and P(X<=2).
Ans: ¼, ¾
2. If X is a discrete random variable having the probability mass function:
X=x -1 0 1
P(X=x) k 2k 3k
Determine the value of k and P(X>=0).
Ans: 1/6 , 5/6
3. If X is a discrete random variable having the probability mass function:
X=x 1 2 3 4
P(X=x) a 2a 3a 4a
Determine the P(2< X < 4).
Ans: 3/10
4. If X is a discrete random variable having the probability mass function:
X 1 2 3 4
P(x) 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1
1 7
Determine the 𝑃(2 < 𝑋 < 2 / 𝑋 > 1).
Ans: 5/6.
5. If X is a random variable having the probability function:
X -2 -1 0 1
P(x) 0.4 k 0.2 0.3
Determine the value of k and mean of X.
Ans: 0.1, -0.6
6. If X is a discrete random variable having the probability function:
X 0 1 2 3 4
P(x) k 3k 5k 7k 9k
Determine the (i) k , (ii) P(X<3) and P(0 < X < 4), (iii) Distribution function of X.
Ans: 1/25, 15/25
7. If X is a discrete random variable having the probability mass function:
𝑃(𝑋 = 𝑟) = 𝑘𝑟 3 ; 𝑟 = 1, 2, 3, 4
1 5
Determine the value of (i) k, (ii) 𝑃(2 < 𝑋 < 2 / 𝑋 > 1) , (iii) mean and variance of X, (iv)
Distribution function of X.
Ans: 1/100, 8/99, 3.54, 0.4684
8. A random variable X takes the values -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 such that P(X = 0) = P(X > 0) = P(X < 0).
Obtain the probability distribution and probability distribution function of X.
9. A continuous random variable X follows the probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 2 ; 0 ≤
1 1
𝑥 ≤ 1 . Determine the constant ‘a’ and 𝑃(4 < 𝑥 < 2 ).
Ans: 3, 7/64.
𝑥
10. A continuous random variable X follows the probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 2 ; 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤
2 . Determine the 𝑃(𝑋 > 1.5/𝑋 > 1 ).
Ans: 0.5833
11. If probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑘𝑥 2 ; 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3 . Determine the constant k.
Ans: 1/9.
12. A continuous random variable X has the cumulative distribution function
𝑥 3 +1
𝐹(𝑥) = 9
; −1 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. Find 𝑃(0 < 𝑥 < 1 ).
Ans: 1/9.
𝑥2
13. A continuous random variable X has the CDF, 𝐹(𝑥) = 16 ; 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. Find
𝑃(𝑋 > 1/𝑋 < 3).
Ans: 8/9.
14. A continuous random variable X follows the probability density function
𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑐 (4𝑥 − 2𝑥 2 ); 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. Determine the value of constant c and
𝑃(𝑋 > 1 ).
Ans: 3/8, 1/2.
𝑥2
15. Show that the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3
; −1 < 𝑥 < 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 is a probability density
function.
3
16. If probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 1 ; 𝑓(𝑥) = 2 (𝑥 − 1)2 , 𝑓𝑜𝑟 1 ≤ 𝑥 ≤
2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓(𝑥) = 0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. Find the cumulative distribution function F(x) and use it to find
3 5
the 𝑃(2 < 𝑋 < 2).
Ans: 7/16
17. A continuous random variable has a PDF 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 ; 0 < 𝑥 < 1. Find a and b such that (i)
𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 𝑎) = 𝑃(𝑋 > 𝑎), and 𝑃(𝑋 > 𝑏) = 0.05.
1
Ans: 𝑎3 = , 𝑏 3 = 0.95
2
(𝑥+1)
18. A continuous random variable X follows the probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 2
; −1 ≤
𝑥 ≤ 1 . Determine the mean and variance of X.
Ans: 1/3, 2/9
19. Let X be a continuous random variable with probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 ; 1 ≤ 𝑥 ≤
2 . Determine the 𝐸(log 𝑋).
8 7
Ans: 3 log 2 − 9
20. If X has the probability density function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑘 𝑒 3𝑥 ; 𝑥 > 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. Find k,
𝑃(0.5 < 𝑥 < 1) and the mean of X.
Ans: 3, 0.1733, 1/3.
