Chapter-4

Theoretical Distributions(4-5Q)
 Theoretical Distribution
❖ It is a model for the variation in the values of a variable based on defining the
probabilities of value (or intervals values) of a variable.
❖ Probability distribution possesses all the characteristics of an observed frequency
distribution, we can define mean, median, mode, standard deviation etc.
❖ A probability distribution can be discrete or Continuous.
❖ Some Important discrete probability distributions are:
i. Binomial distribution (BD)
ii. Poisson distribution (PD)
❖ Important continuous probability distribution is Normal Distribution.

Note: A parameter is a characteristic of any population.

E.g. population mean, number of trials, probability of success
Binomial distribution:-
❖ It is one of the important discrete probability distribution
❖ It is based on Bernoulli trials
❖ The Binomial probability mass function is
P( X = x) = nCx p x q n − x
where, x is Binomial variate and x = 0, 1, 2, 3………,n
n = no. of trials
p = probability of success
q = probability of failure
❖ It is a bi-parametric distribution with parameters n and p
Note :-
• For a binomial distribution, p + q = 1
• If p = q = ½, the Binomial distribution will be Symmetric.
• An expression X~ B(n, p) is to be read as ‘X’ is a binomial variate with parameters n &
p
For a Binomial distribution:
Mean = np
Variance = 𝑛𝑝𝑞
SD = 𝑛𝑝𝑞
For a Binomial distribution mean > variance
Mode for a Binomial distribution:
• Binomial distribution is unimodal if (n+1)p is a non integer.
mode = Integral part of (n + 1)p
• Binomial distribution is bimodal if (n+1)p is an integer.
modes = (n+1)p and [(n+1)p] - 1
Additive property
If X~ B(n1 ,p) & Y ~ B (n₂, p) Then, (X+Y) ~ B [(n1 + n₂), p].
[It can’t be used for tossing of a coin (p=1/2) and throwing a die (p=1/6) because p is
not equal].

➔BD is applicable when the trials are independent and each trial has just 2
Outcomes Success & failure. It is applied in coin tossing experiments, Sampling
inspection plan, genetic experiments etc.
Examples on Binomial distribution
Example1:
A coin is tossed 6 times. what is the probability of getting exactly 3 heads

Example2:
If overall percentage of success in an exam is 70. what is the probability that out of a
group of 5 students at least 1 has passed.
Example3:
If ‘x’ is a Binomial variate with parameters 15 & 1/3 then the value of mode

Example4:
For a Binomial distribution the mean & variance are 5 & 3 respectively then find p & q
Example5:
For a Binomial distribution mean = 3 and SD = 1.5. Find number of trials

Example6:
For a Binomial distribution if 4P(x=4) = P(x=2) with n = 6 then find q
Example7:
For a Binomial distribution n=4 & P(x=2) = 3P(x=3) then p = ?
Poisson's distribution (PD)
❖ It is a preferred discrete theoretical distribution when n → ∞ (very large),
p → 0 (very small) & np → finite value. {The event is said to be a rare event if p → 0}
❖ Poisson's probability mass function is given by
𝑒 −𝑚 𝑚𝑥
P(x) =
𝑥!
where, m is mean = variance
x is Poisson's variate
x = 0,1,2, ….. ∞
e = 2.72
❖ It is uni-parametric distribution with parameter ‘m’.
❖ Standard Deviation = 𝑚

The expression x ~ P(m) can be read as x is a Poisson's variate with a parameter ‘m’.
Additive property of PD
❖ If x ~ p(m1) & y ~ p(m2) Then, (x + y) ~ P (m1 +m2).

Mode for PD:

(i) If m is a non integer then PD is unimodal and mode = Integral part of m.
(ii) If m is an integer then PD is bimodal and modes = m and (m-1).

Applications of PD:
❖ It is used when the total number of events or trials is large number & the
probability of success is very small.
❖ If can be used in following cases:
(i) The distribution of no. of printing mistakes per page of a large book
(ii) The distribution of no. of road accident on a busy road per minute etc.
Examples on Poisson’s distribution
Example1:
For a PD P(x=2) = 3P(x=4) then SD is

Example2:
In a certain PD the probability corresponding to 2 successes is half the probability
corresponding to 3 successes then mean of the distribution is
Example3:
If X ~ P(m) & its coefficient of variation is 50 then what is the probability that x would
assume only non zero values

Example4:
If 1.5% of items produced by a manufacturing unit are known to be defective. what is
the probability that a sample of 200 items would contain no defective item
Normal Distribution:
It is one the important continuous Probability distributions, applicable for the
distribution of variables like height, weight, wages, marks etc.
➢ The normal probability mass function is given by
− 𝑥− µ 2
𝑒 2𝜎2
f(x) = for - ∞ < x < ∞
𝜎 2𝜋

where µ → mean , 𝜎 2 → Variance, 𝜎 →SD, x is normal variate

➢ It is a bi-parametric distribution with parameters µ & 𝜎 2
➢ It is a symmetrical distribution having zero skewness
➢ For a normal distribution mean = median = mode
Points of inflexion:
• µ - 𝜎 & µ + 𝜎 are called Points of inflexion.
• For a normal distribution the median is equi-distant from 1st & 3rd quartiles
Q1 = µ - 0.6745 𝜎
Q3 = µ + 0.6745 𝜎
𝑄3 − 𝑄1
• Quartile deviation (QD) = = 0.6745 𝜎
2
• Mean deviation (MD) = 0.8 𝜎
𝑥−𝜇
• If x is a normal variate then z = is called Standard normal variate
𝜎
• In a Standard Normal distribution, the value of the mean is 0 and SD = 1
• The area under normal curve, i.e. from z = - ∞ to z = + ∞ is 1
• Area from z = - ∞ to z = 0 is 0.5
• Area from z = 0 to z = ∞ is 0.5
• Area between µ - 3𝜎 & µ + 3𝜎 is 0.9973 (99.73%)
• Area between µ – 2 𝜎 & µ + 2𝜎 is 0.9546 (95.46%)
• Area between µ – 𝜎 & µ + 𝜎 is 0.6828 (68.28%)

Additive property
If x ~ N (µ 1, 𝜎12) & y ~ N (µ 2, 𝜎2²) then (x + y) ~ N [(µ 1 + µ 2), (𝜎₁² + 𝜎2²)]

Note:-
Mean of (x + y) is µ 1 + µ 2
Variance of (x + y) is 𝜎₁² + 𝜎2²
SD of (x + y) is 𝜎₁² + 𝜎2²
For area related problems
𝑥−µ 𝑎−µ
(i) P(x<a) = P <
𝜎 𝜎
= P(z<k), where k is a constant
= φ(k) = Area up to k = Area from -∞ to 0 + Area from 0 to k

𝑎−µ 𝑥−µ 𝑏−µ

(ii) P (a<x<b) = P( < < ) = P(k1 < z < k2) = φ(k₂) - φ(k₁)
𝜎 𝜎 𝜎
where, k1 & k₂ are constants

(iii) P(x>a)=1 - P(x≤a)

Note:- φ(-k) = 1- φ(k)

Ex: φ(-1) = 1- φ(1)
Examples on Normal distribution
Example1:
There are 75 students in a class and their average marks is 50 and SD of marks is 5. Find
the number of students who secured more than 60 marks (Given that area from z=0 to
z=2 is 0.4772)
Example2:
If the two quartiles of the normal distribution are 14.6 and 25.4 respectively then find
its standard deviation.

Example3:
If the quartile deviation of a normal curve is 4.05 then the mean deviation is.
Example4:
If the area of standard normal curve between z=0 to z=1 is 0.3413, then find the value
of φ(1) ?

Example5:
If x and y are 2 independent normal Variables with means as 10 & 12 and SDs as 3 & 4,
then (x+y) is normally distributed with mean =_____ and SD= _____
Previous year paper problems:
1.In a Standard Normal distribution, then the value of the mean (μ) and standard
deviation (σ) is:
(a) μ = 0 and σ = 0 (b) μ = 0 and σ = 1
(c) μ = 1 and σ = 0 (d) μ = 1 and σ = 1

2.If mean and variance of a random variable which follows the Binomial Distribution
are 7 and 6 respectively, then the probability of success is:
(a) 6/7
(b) 36/49
(c) 1/7
(d) 1/49
3.For a binomial distribution the mean and standard deviation are 10 and 3
respectively. Find the value of n.
(a) 30 (b) 9 (c) 90 (d) 100

4.For a given set of normally distributed data, the following statistical parameters are
known: Mean = 6; Standard deviation = 2.6; Median = 5 and Quartile deviation = 1.5,
then the coefficient of quartile deviation equals to
a) 30 b) 32 c) 25 d) 39
5.If a Poisson distribution is such that P(X=2) = 1/3 P(X=3), then the standard deviation
of the distribution is:
a) √3 b) 3 c) 2 d) 1

6.Between 9 AM and 10 AM, the average number of phone calls per minute coming
into the switchboard of a company is 4, Find the probability that during one particular
minute, there will be either 2 phone calls or no phone calls (given e-4 = 0.018316)
a) 0.156 b) 0.165 c) 0.149 d) 0.194
7.The incidence of skin diseases in a chemical plant occurs in such a way that the
workers have 20% chance of suffering from it. What is the probability that out of 6
workers, 4 or more will have skin diseases?
a) 0.1696 b) 0.01696 c) 0.1643 d) 0.01643

8.Skewness of Normal Distribution is

(a) Negative (b) Positive (c) Zero (d) Undefined
9.If Poisson distribution is such that P(X = 2) = P(X = 3) then the variance of the
distribution is
(a) √3 (b) 3 (c) 6 (d) 9

10.The Standard Deviation of Binomial distribution is:

(a) Npq (b) √npq (c) np (d) √np
11.The mean of Binomial distribution is
(a) Always less than its variance
(b) Always more than its variance
(c) Always equal to its variance
(d) Always equal to its standard deviation.

12. The Binomial distribution, having mean as 3 and standard deviation as 1.5, has
number of trials equal to
(a) 4 (b)6 (c)8 (d) 12
13.The standard deviation of a Poisson variate X is 1.732. Then P(-2.9 < X < 3.54) =
(a) 13e³ (b) 11e³ (d) 9e³ (d) 3e³

14.The variance of a normal distribution is given to be 16. The mean deviation about
mode is
(a)3.2 (b)8 (c)12.8 (d) 12 90.
15.For a normal distribution, the first and third quartile are 37 and 49, then the mode
of the distribution is
(a) 49 (b) 39 (c) 37 (d) 43