Sum or product of two independent values

Questions asking for the probability distribution or properties (mean, variance) of the sum, product, or other arithmetic combination of exactly two independent values from the same distribution.

5 questions

OCR S1 2008 January Q6
6 The probability distribution for a random variable \(Y\) is shown in the table.
\(y\)123
\(\mathrm { P } ( Y = y )\)0.20.30.5
  1. Calculate \(\mathrm { E } ( Y )\) and \(\operatorname { Var } ( Y )\). Another random variable, \(Z\), is independent of \(Y\). The probability distribution for \(Z\) is shown in the table.
    \(z\)123
    \(\mathrm { P } ( Z = z )\)0.10.250.65
    One value of \(Y\) and one value of \(Z\) are chosen at random. Find the probability that
  2. \(Y + Z = 3\),
  3. \(Y \times Z\) is even.
Edexcel AS Paper 2 2022 June Q5
5. Manon has two biased spinners, one red and one green. The random variable \(R\) represents the score when the red spinner is spun.
The random variable \(G\) represents the score when the green spinner is spun.
The probability distributions for \(R\) and \(G\) are given below.
\(r\)23
\(\mathrm { P } ( R = r )\)\(\frac { 1 } { 4 }\)\(\frac { 3 } { 4 }\)
\(g\)14
\(\mathrm { P } ( G = g )\)\(\frac { 2 } { 3 }\)\(\frac { 1 } { 3 }\)
Manon spins each spinner once and adds the two scores.
  1. Find the probability that
    1. the sum of the two scores is 7
    2. the sum of the two scores is less than 4 The random variable \(X = m R + n G\) where \(m\) and \(n\) are integers. $$\mathrm { P } ( X = 20 ) = \frac { 1 } { 6 } \quad \text { and } \quad \mathrm { P } ( X = 50 ) = \frac { 1 } { 4 }$$
  2. Find the value of \(m\) and the value of \(n\)
Edexcel S1 Q5
  1. Two spinners are in the form of an equilateral triangle, whose three regions are labelled 1,2 and 3, and a square, whose four regions are labelled \(1,2,3\) and 4 . Both spinners are biased and the probability distributions for the scores \(X\) and \(Y\) obtained when they are spun are respectively:
\(x\)123
\(\mathrm { P } ( X = x )\)\(0 \cdot 2\)\(0 \cdot 4\)\(p\)
\(Y\)1234
\(\mathrm { P } ( Y = y )\)0.20.5\(q\)\(q\)
  1. Find the values of \(p\) and \(q\).
  2. Find the probability that, when the two spinners are spun together, the sum of the two scores is (i) 5, (ii) less than 4 .
  3. State an assumption that you have made in answering part (b) and explain why it is likely to be justifiable.
  4. Calculate \(\mathrm { E } ( X + Y )\).
OCR Stats 1 2018 March Q12
12 Rob has two six-sided dice, each with sides numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
One dice is fair. The other dice is biased, with probabilities as shown in the table.
Biased die
\(y\)123456
\(\mathrm { P } ( Y = y )\)0.30.250.20.140.10.01
Rob throws each dice once and notes the two scores, \(X\) on the fair dice and \(Y\) on the biased dice. He then calculates the value of the variable \(S\) which is defined as follows.
  • If \(X \leqslant 3\), then \(S = X + 2 Y\).
  • If \(X > 3\), then \(S = X + Y\).
    1. (a) Draw up a sample space diagram showing all the possible outcomes and the corresponding values of \(S\).
      (b) On your diagram, circle the four cells where the value \(S = 10\) occurs.
    2. Explain the mistake in the following calculation.
$$\mathrm { P } ( S = 10 ) = \frac { \text { Number of outcomes giving } S = 10 } { \text { Total number of outcomes } } = \frac { 4 } { 36 } = \frac { 1 } { 9 } .$$
  • Find the correct value of \(\mathrm { P } ( S = 10 )\).
  • Given that \(S = 10\), find the probability that the score on one of the dice is 4 .
  • The events " \(X = 1\) or 2 " and " \(S = n\) " are mutually exclusive. Given that \(\mathrm { P } ( S = n ) \neq 0\), find the value of \(n\).
  • AQA AS Paper 2 2023 June Q16
    16 The discrete random variable \(X\) has probability distribution
    \(\boldsymbol { x }\)123456
    \(\mathbf { P } ( \boldsymbol { X } = \boldsymbol { x } )\)0.30.10.20.10.10.2
    The discrete random variable \(Y\) has probability distribution
    \(\boldsymbol { y }\)234567
    \(\mathbf { P } ( \boldsymbol { Y } = \boldsymbol { y } )\)0.3p0.20.1p\(3 \mathrm { p } + 0.05\)
    It is claimed that \(\mathrm { P } ( X \geq 3 )\) is greater than \(\mathrm { P } ( Y \leq 4 )\)
    Determine if this claim is correct. Fully justify your answer.
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