Geometric applications

Questions where a uniform variable represents a length, and probabilities about areas, perimeters, or other geometric quantities must be found.

8 questions · Standard +0.3

5.03a Continuous random variables: pdf and cdf
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Edexcel S2 2022 January Q7
8 marks Standard +0.8
7 The sides of a square are each of length \(L \mathrm {~cm}\) and its area is \(A \mathrm {~cm} ^ { 2 }\) Given that \(A\) is uniformly distributed on the interval [10,30]
  1. find \(\mathrm { P } ( L \geqslant 4.5 )\)
  2. find \(\operatorname { Var } ( L )\)
    \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}]{a009b02e-4cd3-497b-a141-4630c653e20b-28_2655_1947_114_116}
Edexcel S2 2017 October Q4
14 marks Moderate -0.8
4. In a computer game, a ship appears randomly on a rectangular screen. The continuous random variable \(X \mathrm {~cm}\) is the distance of the centre of the ship from the bottom of the screen. The random variable \(X\) is uniformly distributed over the interval \([ 0 , \alpha ]\) where \(\alpha \mathrm { cm }\) is the height of the screen. Given that \(\mathrm { P } ( X > 6 ) = 0.6\)
  1. find the value of \(\alpha\)
  2. find \(\mathrm { P } ( 4 < X < 10 )\) The continuous random variable \(Y\) cm is the distance of the centre of the ship from the left-hand side of the screen. The random variable \(Y\) is uniformly distributed over the interval [ 0,20 ] where 20 cm is the width of the screen.
  3. Find the mean and the standard deviation of \(Y\).
  4. Find \(\mathrm { P } ( | Y - 4 | < 2 )\)
  5. Given that \(X\) and \(Y\) are independent, find the probability that the centre of the ship appears
    1. in a square of side 4 cm which is at the centre of the screen,
    2. within 5 cm of a side or the top or the bottom of the screen.
Edexcel S2 Specimen Q3
5 marks Standard +0.3
  1. A rectangle has a perimeter of 20 cm . The length, \(X \mathrm {~cm}\), of one side of this rectangle is uniformly distributed between 1 cm and 7 cm .
Find the probability that the length of the longer side of the rectangle is more than 6 cm long.
Edexcel S4 2006 June Q6
17 marks Standard +0.3
6. \begin{figure}[h]
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 1} \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{f7137ba8-5526-4107-bccd-047de235d7d1-5_392_407_281_852}
\end{figure} Figure 1 shows a square of side \(t\) and area \(t ^ { 2 }\) which lies in the first quadrant with one vertex at the origin. A point \(P\) with coordinates ( \(X , Y\) ) is selected at random inside the square and the coordinates are used to estimate \(t ^ { 2 }\). It is assumed that \(X\) and \(Y\) are independent random variables each having a continuous uniform distribution over the interval \([ 0 , t ]\).
[0pt] [You may assume that \(\mathrm { E } \left( X ^ { n } Y ^ { n } \right) = \mathrm { E } \left( X ^ { n } \right) \mathrm { E } \left( Y ^ { n } \right)\), where \(n\) is a positive integer.]
  1. Use integration to show that \(\mathrm { E } \left( X ^ { n } \right) = \frac { t ^ { n } } { n + 1 }\). The random variable \(S = k X Y\), where \(k\) is a constant, is an unbiased estimator for \(t ^ { 2 }\).
  2. Find the value of \(k\).
  3. Show that \(\operatorname { Var } S = \frac { 7 t ^ { 4 } } { 9 }\). The random variable \(U = q \left( X ^ { 2 } + Y ^ { 2 } \right)\), where \(q\) is a constant, is also an unbiased estimator for \(t ^ { 2 }\).
  4. Show that the value of \(q = \frac { 3 } { 2 }\).
  5. Find Var \(U\).
  6. State, giving a reason, which of \(S\) and \(U\) is the better estimator of \(t ^ { 2 }\). The point \(( 2,3 )\) is selected from inside the square.
  7. Use the estimator chosen in part (f) to find an estimate for the area of the square.
WJEC Unit 4 2024 June Q2
8 marks Standard +0.8
2. The smallest angle \(\theta\), in degrees, of a right-angled triangle with hypotenuse 8 cm , is uniformly distributed across all possible values. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{8f47b2ff-f954-42ec-8ecc-fc64313a7b89-04_419_696_479_687}
  1. Find the mean and standard deviation of \(\theta\).
  2. The shortest side of the triangle is of length \(X \mathrm {~cm}\). Find the probability that \(X\) is greater than 5 .
Edexcel FS2 2020 June Q8
11 marks Standard +0.8
8 A circle, centre \(O\), has radius \(x \mathrm {~cm}\), where \(x\) is an observation from the random variable \(X\) which has a rectangular distribution on \([ 0 , \pi ]\)
  1. Find the probability that the area of the circle is greater than \(10 \mathrm {~cm} ^ { 2 }\)
  2. State, giving a reason, whether the median area of the circle is greater or less than \(10 \mathrm {~cm} ^ { 2 }\) The triangle \(O A B\) is drawn inside the circle with \(O A\) and \(O B\) as radii of length \(x \mathrm {~cm}\) and angle \(A O B x\) radians.
  3. Use algebraic integration to find the expected value of the area of triangle \(O A B\). Give your answer as an exact value.
Edexcel S2 2010 June Q3
5 marks Standard +0.8
A rectangle has a perimeter of 20 cm. The length, \(x\) cm, of one side of this rectangle is uniformly distributed between 1 cm and 7 cm. Find the probability that the length of the longer side of the rectangle is more than 6 cm long. [5]
Edexcel S2 Q3
13 marks Moderate -0.8
In a test studying reaction times, white dots appear at random on a black rectangular screen. The continuous random variable \(X\) represents the distance, in centimetres, of the dot from the left-hand edge of the screen. The distribution of \(X\) is rectangular over the interval \([0, 20]\).
  1. Find \(P(2 < X < 3.6)\). [2 marks]
  2. Find the mean and variance of \(X\). [3 marks]
The continuous random variable \(Y\) represents the distance, in centimetres, of the dot from the bottom edge of the screen. The distribution of \(Y\) is rectangular over the interval \([0, 16]\). Find the probability that a dot appears
  1. in a square of side 4 cm at the centre of the screen, [4 marks]
  2. within 2 cm of the edge of the screen. [4 marks]