5.02i Poisson distribution: random events model

479 questions

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AQA S3 2013 June Q6
11 marks Standard +0.3
6 The demand for a WWSatNav at a superstore may be modelled by a Poisson distribution with a mean of 2.5 per day. The superstore is open 6 days each week, from Monday morning to Saturday evening.
    1. Determine the probability that the demand for WWSatNavs during a particular week is at most 18 .
    2. The superstore receives a delivery of WWSatNavs on each Sunday evening. The manager, Meena, requires that the probability of WWSatNavs being out of stock during a week should be at most \(5 \%\). Determine the minimum number of WWSatNavs that Meena requires to be in stock after a delivery.
    1. Use a distributional approximation to estimate the probability that the demand for WWSatNavs during a period of \(\mathbf { 2 }\) weeks is more than 35.
    2. Changes to the superstore's delivery schedule result in it receiving a delivery of WWSatNavs on alternate Sunday evenings. Meena now requires that the probability of WWSatNavs being out of stock during the 2 weeks following a delivery should be at most \(5 \%\). Use a distributional approximation to determine the minimum number of WWSatNavs that Meena now requires to be in stock after a delivery.
      (3 marks)
AQA S3 2014 June Q7
4 marks Challenging +1.2
7
  1. The random variable \(X\) has a Poisson distribution with parameter \(\lambda\).
    1. Prove, from first principles, that \(\mathrm { E } ( X ) = \lambda\).
    2. Given that \(\mathrm { E } \left( X ^ { 2 } - X \right) = \lambda ^ { 2 }\), deduce that \(\operatorname { Var } ( X ) = \lambda\).
  2. The number of faults in a 100-metre ball of nylon string may be modelled by a Poisson distribution with parameter \(\lambda\).
    1. An analysis of one ball of string, selected at random, showed 15 faults. Using an exact test, investigate the claim that \(\lambda > 10\). Use the \(5 \%\) level of significance.
    2. A subsequent analysis of a random sample of 20 balls of string showed a total of 241 faults.
      (A) Using an approximate test, re-investigate the claim that \(\lambda > 10\). Use the \(5 \%\) level of significance.
      (B) Determine the critical value of the total number of faults for the test in part (b)(ii)(A).
      (C) Given that, in fact, \(\lambda = 12\), estimate the probability of a Type II error for a test of the claim that \(\lambda > 10\) based upon a random sample of 20 balls of string and using the \(5 \%\) level of significance.
      [0pt] [4 marks] \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{d5852425-9340-4aae-82da-e3bf6772a0de-22_2490_1728_219_141} \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{d5852425-9340-4aae-82da-e3bf6772a0de-23_2490_1719_217_150} \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{d5852425-9340-4aae-82da-e3bf6772a0de-24_2489_1728_221_141}
AQA S3 2015 June Q2
8 marks Standard +0.3
2 Emilia runs an online perfume business from home. She believes that she receives more orders on Mondays than on Fridays. She checked this during a period of 26 weeks and found that she received a total of 507 orders on the Mondays and a total of 416 orders on the Fridays. The daily numbers of orders that Emilia receives may be modelled by independent Poisson distributions with means \(\lambda _ { \mathrm { M } }\) for Mondays and \(\lambda _ { \mathrm { F } }\) for Fridays.
  1. Construct an approximate \(99 \%\) confidence interval for \(\lambda _ { \mathrm { M } } - \lambda _ { \mathrm { F } }\).
  2. Hence comment on Emilia's belief.
AQA S3 2015 June Q5
16 marks Standard +0.3
5
  1. The random variable \(X\) has a binomial distribution with parameters \(n\) and \(p\).
    1. Prove, from first principles, that \(\mathrm { E } ( X ) = n p\).
    2. Given that \(\mathrm { E } ( X ( X - 1 ) ) = n ( n - 1 ) p ^ { 2 }\), find an expression for \(\operatorname { Var } ( X )\).
    1. The random variable \(Y\) has a binomial distribution with \(\mathrm { E } ( Y ) = 3\) and \(\operatorname { Var } ( Y ) = 2.985\). Find values for \(n\) and \(p\).
    2. The random variable \(U\) has \(\mathrm { E } ( U ) = 5\) and \(\operatorname { Var } ( U ) = 6.25\). Show that \(U\) does not have a binomial distribution.
  2. The random variable \(V\) has the distribution \(\operatorname { Po } ( 5 )\) and \(W = 2 V + 10\). Show that \(\mathrm { E } ( W ) = \operatorname { Var } ( W )\) but that \(W\) does not have a Poisson distribution.
  3. The probability that, in a particular country, a person has blood group AB negative is 0.2 per cent. A sample of 5000 people is selected. Given that the sample may be assumed to be random, use a distributional approximation to estimate the probability that at least 6 people but at most 12 people have blood group AB negative.
    [0pt] [3 marks]
Edexcel S4 2004 June Q3
9 marks Challenging +1.2
3. It is suggested that a Poisson distribution with parameter \(\lambda\) can model the number of currants in a currant bun. A random bun is selected in order to test the hypotheses \(\mathrm { H } _ { 0 } : \lambda = 8\) against \(\mathrm { H } _ { 1 } : \lambda \neq 8\), using a \(10 \%\) level of significance.
  1. Find the critical region for this test, such that the probability in each tail is as close as possible to \(5 \%\).
  2. Given that \(\lambda = 10\), find
    1. the probability of a type II error,
    2. the power of the test.
      (4)
Edexcel S4 2006 June Q5
17 marks Challenging +1.8
5. Rolls of cloth delivered to a factory contain defects at an average rate of \(\lambda\) per metre. A quality assurance manager selects a random sample of 15 metres of cloth from each delivery to test whether or not there is evidence that \(\lambda > 0.3\). The criterion that the manager uses for rejecting the hypothesis that \(\lambda = 0.3\) is that there are 9 or more defects in the sample.
  1. Find the size of the test. Table 1 gives some values, to 2 decimal places, of the power function of this test. \begin{table}[h]
    \(\lambda\)0.40.50.60.70.80.91.0
    Power0.150.34\(r\)0.720.850.920.96
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Table 1}
    \end{table}
  2. Find the value of \(r\). The manager would like to design a test, of whether or not \(\lambda > 0.3\), that uses a smaller length of cloth. He chooses a length of 10 m and requires the probability of a type I error to be less than \(10 \%\).
  3. Find the criterion to reject the hypothesis that \(\lambda = 0.3\) which makes the test as powerful as possible.
  4. Hence state the size of this second test. Table 2 gives some values, to 2 decimal places, of the power function for the test in part (c). \begin{table}[h]
    \(\lambda\)0.40.50.60.70.80.91.0
    Power0.210.380.550.70\(s\)0.880.93
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Table 2}
    \end{table}
  5. Find the value of \(s\).
  6. Using the same axes, on graph paper draw the graphs of the power functions of these two tests.
    1. State the value of \(\lambda\) where the graphs cross.
    2. Explain the significance of \(\lambda\) being greater than this value. The cost of wrongly rejecting a delivery of cloth with \(\lambda = 0.3\) is low. Deliveries of cloth with \(\lambda > 0.7\) are unusual.
  7. Suggest, giving your reasons, which the test manager should adopt.
    (2)
Edexcel S4 2007 June Q5
7 marks Challenging +1.2
5. The number of tornadoes per year to hit a particular town follows a Poisson distribution with mean \(\lambda\). A weatherman claims that due to climate changes the mean number of tornadoes per year has decreased. He records the number of tornadoes \(x\) to hit the town last year. To test the hypotheses \(\mathrm { H } _ { 0 } : \lambda = 7\) and \(\mathrm { H } _ { 1 } : \lambda < 7\), a critical region of \(x \leq 3\) is used.
  1. Find, in terms \(\lambda\) the power function of this test.
  2. Find the size of this test.
  3. Find the probability of a Type II error when \(\lambda = 4\).
Edexcel S4 2010 June Q6
14 marks Standard +0.8
6. Faults occur in a roll of material at a rate of \(\lambda\) per \(\mathrm { m } ^ { 2 }\). To estimate \(\lambda\), three pieces of material of sizes \(3 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 } , 7 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\) and \(10 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\) are selected and the number of faults \(X _ { 1 } , X _ { 2 }\) and \(X _ { 3 }\) respectively are recorded. The estimator \(\hat { \lambda }\), where $$\hat { \lambda } = k \left( X _ { 1 } + X _ { 2 } + X _ { 3 } \right)$$ is an unbiased estimator of \(\lambda\).
  1. Write down the distributions of \(X _ { 1 } , X _ { 2 }\) and \(X _ { 3 }\) and find the value of \(k\).
  2. Find \(\operatorname { Var } ( \hat { \lambda } )\). A random sample of \(n\) pieces of this material, each of size \(4 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\), was taken. The number of faults on each piece, \(Y\), was recorded.
  3. Show that \(\frac { 1 } { 4 } \bar { Y }\) is an unbiased estimator of \(\lambda\).
  4. Find \(\operatorname { Var } \left( \frac { 1 } { 4 } \bar { Y } \right)\).
  5. Find the minimum value of \(n\) for which \(\frac { 1 } { 4 } \bar { Y }\) becomes a better estimator of \(\lambda\) than \(\hat { \lambda }\).
Edexcel S4 2017 June Q2
8 marks Standard +0.8
  1. The number of accidents per year in Daftstown follows a Poisson distribution with mean \(\lambda\). The value of \(\lambda\) has previously been 6 but Jonty claims that since the Council increased the speed limit, the value of \(\lambda\) has increased.
Jonty records the number of accidents in Daftstown in the first year after the speed limit was increased. He plans to test, at the \(5 \%\) significance level, whether or not there is evidence of an increase in the mean number of accidents in Daftstown per year.
  1. Stating your hypotheses clearly, calculate the probability of a Type I error for this test. Given that there were 9 accidents in the first year after the speed limit was increased,
  2. state, giving a reason, whether or not there is evidence to support Jonty's claim.
  3. Given that the value of \(\lambda\) has actually increased to 8, calculate the probability of drawing the conclusion, using this test, that the number of accidents per year in Daftstown has not increased.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2018 June Q1
7 marks Moderate -0.8
1 Over a period of time, radioactive substances decay into other substances. During this decay a Geiger counter can be used to detect the number of radioactive particles that the substance emits. A certain radioactive source is decaying at a constant average rate of 6.1 particles per 10 seconds. The particles are emitted randomly and independently of each other.
  1. State a distribution which can be used to model the number of particles emitted by the source in a 10-second period.
  2. State the variance of this distribution.
  3. Find the probability that at least 6 particles are detected in a period of 10 seconds.
  4. Find the probability that at least 36 particles are detected in a period of 60 seconds.
  5. Another radioactive source emits particles randomly and independently at a constant average rate of 1.7 particles per 5 seconds. Find the probability that at least 10 but no more than 15 particles are detected altogether from the two sources in a period of 10 seconds.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2019 June Q2
9 marks Moderate -0.3
2 Almost all plants of a particular species have red flowers. However on average 1 in every 1500 plants of this species have white flowers. A random sample of 2000 plants of this species is selected. The random variable \(X\) represents the number of plants in the sample that have white flowers.
  1. Name two distributions which could be used to model the distribution of \(X\), stating the parameters of each of these distributions. You may use either of the distributions you have named in the rest of this question.
  2. Calculate each of the following.
    Calculate the probability that there are at least 10 plants in the sample that have white flowers.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2022 June Q2
7 marks Easy -1.2
2 On a car assembly line, a robot is used for a particular task.
  1. State the conditions under which a Poisson distribution is an appropriate model for the number of breakdowns of the robot in a week. It is given that the average number of breakdowns of the robot in a week is 1.7 . For the remainder of this question, you should assume that a Poisson distribution is an appropriate model for the number of breakdowns of the robot in a week.
    1. Find the probability that the number of breakdowns of the robot in a week is exactly 4.
    2. Determine the probability that the number of breakdowns of the robot in a week is at least 2 .
  2. Determine the probability that the number of breakdowns of the robot in 52 weeks is less than 100.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2023 June Q4
10 marks Standard +0.3
4 At a parcel delivery company it is known that the probability that a parcel is delivered to the wrong address is 0.0005 . On a particular day, 15000 parcels are delivered. The number of parcels delivered to the wrong address is denoted by the random variable \(X\).
  1. Explain why the binomial distribution and the Poisson distribution could both be suitable models for the distribution of \(X\).
  2. Use a Poisson distribution to find each of the following.
    • \(\mathrm { P } ( X = 5 )\)
    • \(\mathrm { P } ( X \geqslant 8 )\)
    You are given that 15000 parcels are delivered each day in a 5-day working week.
    1. Determine the probability that at least 40 parcels are delivered to the wrong address during the week.
    2. Determine the probability that at least 8 parcels are delivered to the wrong address on each of the 5 days in the week.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2024 June Q3
14 marks Standard +0.3
3 A glassware factory produces a large number of ornaments each week. Just before they leave the factory, all the ornaments are checked and some may be found to be defective. The Quality Assurance Manager of the factory wishes to model the number of defective ornaments that are found each week using a Poisson distribution. The numbers of defective ornaments found each week in a period of 40 weeks are shown in Table 3.1. \begin{table}[h]
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Table 3.1}
No. of defective ornaments in a week, \(r\)0123456\(\geqslant 7\)
No. of weeks with \(r\) defective ornaments, \(f\)2141353120
\end{table} You are given that summary statistics for the data are \(\sum f = 40 , \sum \mathrm { rf } = 84\) and \(\sum \mathrm { r } ^ { 2 } \mathrm { f } = 256\).
  1. By using the summary statistics to determine estimates for the mean and variance of the number of defective ornaments produced by the factory each week, explain how the data support the suggestion that the number of defective ornaments produced each week can be modelled using a Poisson distribution. The Quality Assurance Manager is asked by the head office to carry out a chi-squared hypothesis test for goodness of fit based on a \(\operatorname { Po } ( 2 )\) distribution.
  2. Table 3.2, which is incomplete, gives observed frequency, probability, expected frequency and chi-squared contribution. \begin{table}[h]
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Table 3.2}
    No. of defective ornaments in a week, \(r\)Observed frequencyProbabilityExpected frequencyChi-squared contribution
    020.135345.41342.15232
    114
    2130.270670.43620
    357.2179
    \(\geqslant 4\)60.142880.01421
    \end{table}
    1. Complete the copy of the table in the Printed Answer Booklet.
    2. Carry out the test at the \(10 \%\) significance level.
  3. On one occasion a fork-lift truck in the factory drops a crate containing eight ornaments and all of them are subsequently found to be defective. Explain why the Poisson model cannot model defects occurring in this manner.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2020 November Q1
12 marks Moderate -0.3
1 The random variable \(X\) represents the number of cars arriving at a car wash per 10-minute period. From observations over a number of days, an estimate was made of the probability distribution of \(X\). Table 1 shows this estimated probability distribution. \begin{table}[h]
\(r\)01234\(> 4\)
\(\mathrm { P } ( X = r )\)0.300.380.190.080.050
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Table 1}
\end{table}
  1. In this question you must show detailed reasoning. Use Table 1 to calculate estimates of each of the following.
    You should now assume that \(X\) can be modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean equal to the value which you calculated in part (a).
  2. Find each of the following.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2021 November Q4
6 marks Standard +0.3
4 It is known that in an electronic circuit, the number of electrons passing per nanosecond can be modelled by a Poisson distribution. In a particular electronic circuit, the mean number of electrons passing per nanosecond is 12 .
    1. Determine the probability that there are more than 15 electrons passing in a randomly selected nanosecond.
    2. Determine the probability that there are fewer than 50 electrons passing in a randomly selected period of 5 nanoseconds.
  1. Explain what you can deduce about the electrons passing in the circuit from the fact that a Poisson distribution is a suitable model.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS 2021 November Q7
13 marks Standard +0.3
7 A biologist is investigating migrating butterflies. Fig. 7.1 shows the numbers of migrating butterflies passing her location in 100 randomly chosen one-minute periods. \begin{table}[h]
Number of butterflies01234567\(\geqslant 8\)
Frequency6918261316930
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 7.1}
\end{table}
    1. Use the data to show that a suitable estimate for the mean number of butterflies passing her location per minute is 3.3.
    2. Explain how the value of the variance estimate calculated from the sample supports the suggestion that a Poisson distribution may be a suitable model for these data. The biologist decides to carry out a test to investigate whether a Poisson distribution may be a suitable model for these data.
  1. In this question you must show detailed reasoning. Complete the copy of Fig. 7.2 of expected frequencies and contributions for a chi-squared test in the Printed Answer Booklet. \begin{table}[h]
    Number of butterfliesFrequencyProbabilityExpected frequencyChi-squared contribution
    060.03693.68831.4489
    190.121712.17140.8264
    2180.2160
    3260.6916
    4130.182318.22521.4981
    5160.120312.0286
    690.06626.61580.8593
    \(\geqslant 7\)30.05105.09660.8625
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 7.2}
    \end{table}
  2. Complete the chi-squared test at the \(5 \%\) significance level.
OCR MEI Further Statistics A AS Specimen Q1
6 marks Moderate -0.8
1 The number of failures of a machine each week at a factory is modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean 0.45.
  1. Write down the variance of the distribution.
  2. Find the probability that there are exactly 2 failures in a week.
  3. State a distribution which can be used to model the number of failures in a period of 4 weeks.
  4. Find the probability that there are at least 2 failures in a period of 4 weeks.
OCR MEI Further Statistics B AS 2022 June Q5
8 marks Standard +0.3
5 Layla works at an internet café. Each terminal at the café has its own keyboard, and keyboards need to be replaced whenever faults develop. Layla knows that the number of weeks for which a keyboard lasts before it needs to be replaced can be modelled by the random variable \(X\), which has an exponential distribution with mean 20 and variance 400 . She wants to investigate how likely it is that the keyboard at a terminal will need to be replaced at least 3 times within a year (taken as being a period of 52 weeks). Layla designs the simulation shown in the spreadsheet below. Each of the 20 rows below the heading row consists of 3 values of \(X\) together with their sum \(T\). All of the values in the spreadsheet have been rounded to 1 decimal place.
ABCD
1\(\mathrm { X } _ { 1 }\)\(\mathrm { X } _ { 2 }\)\(\mathrm { X } _ { 3 }\)T
210.921.55.337.7
323.952.485.3161.6
45.210.424.039.6
52.914.40.818.1
69.043.349.7102.0
70.416.212.429.0
844.139.522.1105.7
99.243.613.966.7
1040.410.96.157.4
113.254.815.773.7
125.36.11.613.0
1320.528.922.972.3
1437.32.128.668.0
157.113.650.170.8
1618.62.09.329.9
179.01.249.960.1
181.99.569.881.2
199.02.110.421.5
2028.71.493.8123.9
211.82.934.839.5
  1. Explain why \(T\) represents the number of weeks after which the third keyboard at a terminal will need to be replaced.
  2. Use the information in the spreadsheet to write down an estimate of \(\mathrm { P } ( T > 52 )\).
  3. Explain how you could obtain a more reliable estimate of \(\mathrm { P } ( T > 52 )\).
  4. The internet café has 50 terminals. You are given that faults in keyboards occur independently of each other. Determine an estimate of the probability that the mean number of weeks before which the third keyboard at a terminal needs to be replaced is more than 52 .
OCR MEI Further Statistics Minor 2019 June Q4
17 marks Standard +0.3
4 Zara uses a metal detector to search for coins on a beach.
She wonders if the numbers of coins that she finds in an area of \(10 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\) can be modelled by a Poisson distribution. The table below shows the numbers of coins that she finds in randomly chosen areas of \(10 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\) over a period of months.
Number of coins found0123456\(> 6\)
Frequency1328301410230
  1. Software gives the sample mean as 1.98 and the sample standard deviation as 1.4212. Explain how these values suggest that a Poisson distribution may be an appropriate model for the numbers of coins found. Zara decides to carry out a chi-squared test to investigate whether a Poisson distribution is an appropriate model.
    Fig. 4 is a screenshot showing part of the spreadsheet used to analyse the data. Some values in the spreadsheet have been deliberately omitted. \begin{table}[h]
    ABCD
    1Number of coins foundObserved frequencyExpected frequencyChi-squared contribution
    201313.80690.0472
    3128
    423027.06430.3184
    531417.86250.8352
    64108.84190.1517
    7\(\geqslant 5\)50.0015
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 4}
    \end{table}
  2. Showing your calculations, find the missing values in each of the following cells.
    For the rest of this question, you should assume that the number of coins that Zara finds in an area of \(10 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\) can be modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean 1.98.
    Zara also finds pieces of jewellery independently of the coins she finds. The number of pieces of jewellery that she finds per \(10 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\) area is modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean 0.42 .
  3. Find the probability that Zara finds a total of exactly 3 items (coins and/or jewellery) in an area of \(10 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\).
  4. Find the probability that Zara finds a total of at least 30 items (coins and/or jewellery) in an area of \(100 \mathrm {~m} ^ { 2 }\).
OCR MEI Further Statistics Minor 2022 June Q3
15 marks Standard +0.8
3 Jane wonders whether the number of wasps entering a wasp's nest per 5 second interval can be modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean \(\mu\). She counts the number of wasps entering the nest over 60 randomly selected 5 -second intervals. The results are shown in Fig. 3.1. \begin{table}[h]
Number of wasps0123456789\(\geqslant 10\)
Frequency025512101011140
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 3.1}
\end{table}
  1. Show that a suitable estimate for the value of \(\mu\) is 5.1. Fig. 3.2 shows part of a screenshot for a \(\chi ^ { 2 }\) test to assess the goodness of fit of a Poisson model. The sample mean has been used as an estimate for the population mean. Some of the values in the spreadsheet have been deliberately omitted. \begin{table}[h]
    ABCDE
    \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}]{e8624e9b-5143-49d2-9683-cc3a1082694e-4_132_40_1069_273}Number of waspsObserved frequencyPoisson probabilityExpected frequencyChi-squared contribution
    2\(\leqslant 2\)70.11656.98870.0000
    3358.08741.1786
    44120.2765
    55100.0255
    66100.14908.94000.1257
    77110.10866.51343.0904
    8\(\geqslant 8\)50.14408.6414
    9
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 3.2}
    \end{table}
  2. Determine the missing values in each of the following cells, giving your answers correct to 4 decimal places.
    Carry out the hypothesis test at the 5\% significance level.
  3. Jane also carries out a \(\chi ^ { 2 }\) test for the number of wasps leaving another nest. As part of her calculations, she finds that the probability of no wasps leaving the nest in a 5 -second period is 0.0053 . She finds that a Poisson distribution is also an appropriate model in this case. Find a suitable estimate for the value of the mean number of wasps leaving the nest per 5-second period.
OCR MEI Further Statistics Minor 2023 June Q4
13 marks Standard +0.3
4 Eve lives in a narrow lane in the country. She wonders whether the number of vehicles passing her house per minute can be modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean \(\mu\). She counts the number of vehicles passing her house over 100 randomly selected one-minute intervals. The results are shown in Table 4.1. \begin{table}[h]
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Table 4.1}
Number of vehicles012345678910\(\geqslant 11\)
Frequency3633141041001010
\end{table}
  1. Use the results to find an estimate for \(\mu\). The spreadsheet in Fig. 4.2 shows data for a \(\chi ^ { 2 }\) test to assess the goodness of fit of a Poisson model. The sample mean from part (a) has been used as an estimate for the population mean. Some of the values in the spreadsheet have been deliberately omitted. \begin{table}[h]
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 4.2}
    \multirow[b]{2}{*}{1}ABCDE
    Number of vehiclesObserved frequencyPoisson probabilityExpected frequencyChi-squared contribution
    20360.272527.25322.8073
    31330.354335.4291
    42143.5400
    5\(\geqslant 3\)170.5145
    6
    \end{table}
  2. Calculate the missing values in each of the following cells, giving your answers correct to 4 decimal places.
    Carry out the \(\chi ^ { 2 }\) test at the 5\% significance level.
  3. Eve checks her data and notices that the two largest numbers of vehicles per minute (8 and 10) occurred when some horses were being ridden along the lane, causing delays to the vehicles. She therefore repeats the analysis, missing out these two items of data. She finds that the value of the \(\chi ^ { 2 }\) test statistic is now 4.748. The number of degrees of freedom of the test is unchanged. Make two comments about this revised test.
OCR MEI Further Statistics Minor 2024 June Q5
12 marks Easy -1.2
5 Over a long period of time, it is found that the mean number of mistakes made by a certain player when playing a particular piece of music is 5 . The number of mistakes that the player makes when playing the piece is denoted by the random variable \(Y\).
  1. State two assumptions necessary for \(Y\) to be modelled by a Poisson distribution. For the remainder of this question you may assume that \(Y\) can be modelled by a Poisson distribution.
    1. Find the probability that the player makes exactly 3 mistakes when playing the piece.
    2. Find the probability that the player makes fewer than 3 mistakes when playing the piece.
    3. Find the probability that the player makes fewer than 6 mistakes in total when playing the piece twice, assuming that the performances are independent. In a recording studio, the player plays the piece once in the morning and once in the afternoon each day for one week (7 days). It can be assumed that all the performances are independent of each other. The performances are recorded onto two CDs, one for each of two critics, A and B, to review. The critics are interested in the total number of mistakes made by the player per day. Unfortunately, there is a recording error in one of the CDs; on this CD, every piece that is supposed to be an afternoon recording is in fact just a repeat of that morning's recording. The random variables \(M _ { 1 }\) and \(M _ { 2 }\) represent the total number of mistakes per day for the correctly recorded CD and for the wrongly recorded CD respectively.
  2. By considering the values of \(\mathrm { E } \left( M _ { 1 } \right)\) and \(\mathrm { E } \left( M _ { 2 } \right)\) explain why it is not possible to use the mean number of mistakes per day on the CDs to determine which critic received the wrongly recorded CD. Each critic counts the total number of mistakes made per day, for each of the 7 days of recordings on their CD. Summary data for this is given below. Critic A: \(\quad n = 7 , \quad \sum x _ { A } = 70 , \quad \sum x _ { A } ^ { 2 } = 812\) Critic B: \(\quad \mathrm { n } = 7 , \sum \mathrm { x } _ { \mathrm { B } } = 72 , \sum \mathrm { x } _ { \mathrm { B } } ^ { 2 } = 800\)
  3. By considering the values of \(\operatorname { Var } \left( M _ { 1 } \right)\) and \(\operatorname { Var } \left( M _ { 2 } \right)\) determine which critic is likely to have received the wrongly recorded CD.
OCR MEI Further Statistics Minor 2020 November Q2
11 marks Standard +0.3
2 On computer monitor screens there are often one or more tiny dots which are permanently dark and do not display any of the image. Such dots are known as 'dead pixels'. Dead pixels occur on screens randomly and independently of each other. A company manufactures three types of monitor, Types A, B and C. For a monitor of Type A, the screen has a total of 2304000 pixels. For this type of monitor, the probability of a randomly chosen pixel being dead is 1 in 500000 . Let \(X\) represent the number of dead pixels on a monitor screen of this type.
  1. Explain why you could use either a binomial distribution or a Poisson distribution to model the distribution of \(X\).
  2. Use a Poisson distribution to calculate estimates of each of the following probabilities.
    For a monitor of Type B, the probability of a randomly chosen pixel being dead is also 1 in 500 000. The screen of a monitor of Type B has a total of \(n\) pixels. Use a binomial distribution to find the least value of \(n\) for which the probability of finding at least 1 dead pixel is greater than 0.99 . Give your answer in millions correct to 3 significant figures. For a monitor of Type C, the number of dead pixels on the screen is modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean \(\lambda\).
  3. Given that the probability of finding at least one dead pixel is 0.8 , find \(\lambda\).
OCR MEI Further Statistics Minor 2021 November Q5
10 marks Standard +0.3
5 Biological cell membranes have receptor molecules which perform various functions. It is known that the number of receptor molecules of a particular type can be modelled by a Poisson distribution with mean 6 per area of 1 square unit.
    1. Determine the probability that there are at least 10 of these receptor molecules in an area of 1 square unit.
    2. Determine the probability that there are fewer than 50 of these receptor molecules in an area of 10 square units.
  1. A scientist is looking at areas of 1 square unit of cell membrane in order to find one which has at least 10 receptor molecules. Find the probability that she has to look at more than 20 to find such an area. It is known that the number of receptor molecules of another type in an area of 1 square unit can be modelled by the random variable \(X\) which has a Poisson distribution with mean \(\mu\). It is given that \(\mathrm { E } \left( X ^ { 2 } \right) = 12\).
  2. Determine \(\mathrm { P } ( X < 5 )\).