Standard two probabilities given

Two probability statements are directly given (e.g., P(X > a) = p and P(X > b) = q), requiring standardization and solving simultaneous equations for μ and σ.

24 questions · Standard +0.1

2.04e Normal distribution: as model N(mu, sigma^2)2.04f Find normal probabilities: Z transformation
Sort by: Default | Easiest first | Hardest first
CAIE S1 2024 November Q6
8 marks Moderate -0.3
6 The heights of the female students at Breven college are normally distributed:
  • \(90 \%\) of the female students have heights less than 182.7 cm .
  • \(40 \%\) of the female students have heights less than 162.5 cm .
    1. Find the mean and the standard deviation of the heights of the female students at Breven college. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{ad3a6a8a-23fe-415a-b2f4-7c49136ccc6c-10_2715_41_110_2008} \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{ad3a6a8a-23fe-415a-b2f4-7c49136ccc6c-11_2723_35_101_20}
Ten female students are chosen at random from those at Breven college.
  • Find the probability that fewer than 8 of these 10 students have heights more than 162.5 cm .
  • CAIE S1 2010 June Q3
    5 marks Standard +0.3
    3 The random variable \(X\) is the length of time in minutes that Jannon takes to mend a bicycle puncture. \(X\) has a normal distribution with mean \(\mu\) and variance \(\sigma ^ { 2 }\). It is given that \(\mathrm { P } ( X > 30.0 ) = 0.1480\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( X > 20.9 ) = 0.6228\). Find \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    CAIE S1 2014 June Q2
    5 marks Moderate -0.3
    2 Lengths of a certain type of white radish are normally distributed with mean \(\mu \mathrm { cm }\) and standard deviation \(\sigma \mathrm { cm } .4 \%\) of these radishes are longer than 12 cm and \(32 \%\) are longer than 9 cm . Find \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    CAIE S1 2017 March Q7
    13 marks Standard +0.3
    7
    1. The lengths, in centimetres, of middle fingers of women in Raneland have a normal distribution with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\). It is found that \(25 \%\) of these women have fingers longer than 8.8 cm and \(17.5 \%\) have fingers shorter than 7.7 cm .
      1. Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
        The lengths, in centimetres, of middle fingers of women in Snoland have a normal distribution with mean 7.9 and standard deviation 0.44. A random sample of 5 women from Snoland is chosen.
      2. Find the probability that exactly 3 of these women have middle fingers shorter than 8.2 cm .
    2. The random variable \(X\) has a normal distribution with mean equal to the standard deviation. Find the probability that a particular value of \(X\) is less than 1.5 times the mean.
    CAIE S1 2003 November Q3
    6 marks Standard +0.3
    3 In a normal distribution, 69\% of the distribution is less than 28 and 90\% is less than 35. Find the mean and standard deviation of the distribution.
    CAIE S1 2015 November Q2
    4 marks Moderate -0.3
    2 The random variable \(X\) has the distribution \(\mathrm { N } \left( \mu , \sigma ^ { 2 } \right)\). It is given that \(\mathrm { P } ( X < 54.1 ) = 0.5\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( X > 50.9 ) = 0.8665\). Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    CAIE S1 Specimen Q2
    4 marks Moderate -0.3
    2 The random variable \(X\) has the distribution \(\mathrm { N } \left( \mu , \sigma ^ { 2 } \right)\). It is given that \(\mathrm { P } ( X < 54.1 ) = 0.5\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( X > 50.9 ) = 0.8665\). Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    OCR S2 2008 January Q1
    6 marks Standard +0.3
    1 The random variable \(T\) is normally distributed with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\). It is given that \(\mathrm { P } ( T > 80 ) = 0.05\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( T > 50 ) = 0.75\). Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    OCR S2 2006 June Q3
    8 marks Standard +0.3
    3 The continuous random variable \(T\) has mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\). It is known that \(\mathrm { P } ( T < 140 ) = 0.01\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( T < 300 ) = 0.8\).
    1. Assuming that \(T\) is normally distributed, calculate the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\). In fact, \(T\) represents the time, in minutes, taken by a randomly chosen runner in a public marathon, in which about \(10 \%\) of runners took longer than 400 minutes.
    2. State with a reason whether the mean of \(T\) would be higher than, equal to, or lower than the value calculated in part (i).
    OCR S2 2015 June Q1
    6 marks Standard +0.3
    1 The random variable \(Y\) is normally distributed with mean \(\mu\) and variance \(\sigma ^ { 2 }\). It is found that \(\mathrm { P } ( Y > 150.0 ) = 0.0228\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( Y > 143.0 ) = 0.9332\). Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    OCR S2 2009 June Q1
    6 marks Standard +0.3
    1 The random variable \(H\) has the distribution \(\mathrm { N } \left( \mu , \sigma ^ { 2 } \right)\). It is given that \(\mathrm { P } ( H < 105.0 ) = 0.2420\) and \(\mathrm { P } ( H > 110.0 ) = 0.6915\). Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\), giving your answers to a suitable degree of accuracy.
    Edexcel S1 2002 June Q5
    12 marks Standard +0.3
    5. A random variable \(X\) has a normal distribution.
    1. Describe two features of the distribution of \(X\). A company produces electronic components which have life spans that are normally distributed. Only \(1 \%\) of the components have a life span less than 3500 hours and \(2.5 \%\) have a life span greater than 5500 hours.
    2. Determine the mean and standard deviation of the life spans of the components. The company gives warranty of 4000 hours on the components.
    3. Find the proportion of components that the company can expect to replace under the warranty.
    Edexcel S1 2006 June Q5
    12 marks Standard +0.3
    5. From experience a high-jumper knows that he can clear a height of at least 1.78 m once in 5 attempts. He also knows that he can clear a height of at least 1.65 m on 7 out of 10 attempts. Assuming that the heights the high-jumper can reach follow a Normal distribution,
    1. draw a sketch to illustrate the above information,
    2. find, to 3 decimal places, the mean and the standard deviation of the heights the high-jumper can reach,
    3. calculate the probability that he can jump at least 1.74 m .
    Edexcel S1 2014 June Q6
    13 marks Moderate -0.3
    6. The time taken, in minutes, by children to complete a mathematical puzzle is assumed to be normally distributed with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\). The puzzle can be completed in less than 24 minutes by \(80 \%\) of the children. For \(5 \%\) of the children it takes more than 28 minutes to complete the puzzle.
    1. Show this information on the Normal curve below.
    2. Write down the percentage of children who take between 24 minutes and 28 minutes to complete the puzzle.
      1. Find two equations in \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
      2. Hence find, to 3 significant figures, the value of \(\mu\) and the value of \(\sigma\). A child is selected at random.
    3. Find the probability that the child takes less than 12 minutes to complete the puzzle. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{ca8418eb-4d35-40f4-af40-77503327ae52-11_314_1255_1375_356}
    Edexcel S1 2004 November Q3
    12 marks Standard +0.3
    3. The random variable \(X \sim \mathrm {~N} \left( \mu , \sigma ^ { 2 } \right)\). It is known that $$\mathrm { P } ( X \leq 66 ) = 0.0359 \text { and } \mathrm { P } ( X \geq 81 ) = 0.1151 .$$
    1. In the space below, give a clearly labelled sketch to represent these probabilities on a Normal curve.
      1. Show that the value of \(\sigma\) is 5 .
      2. Find the value of \(\mu\).
    2. Find \(\mathrm { P } ( 69 \leq X \leq 83 )\).
    AQA S1 2011 January Q6
    12 marks Standard +0.8
    6 The volume of shampoo, \(V\) millilitres, delivered by a machine into bottles may be modelled by a normal random variable with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\).
    1. Given that \(\mu = 412\) and \(\sigma = 8\), determine:
      1. \(\mathrm { P } ( V < 400 )\);
      2. \(\mathrm { P } ( V > 420 )\);
      3. \(\mathrm { P } ( V = 410 )\).
    2. A new quality control specification requires that the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\) are changed so that $$\mathrm { P } ( V < 400 ) = 0.05 \quad \text { and } \quad \mathrm { P } ( V > 420 ) = 0.01$$
      1. Show, with the aid of a suitable sketch, or otherwise, that $$400 - \mu = - 1.6449 \sigma \quad \text { and } \quad 420 - \mu = 2.3263 \sigma$$
      2. Hence calculate values for \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\).
    AQA S1 2013 January Q7
    9 marks Standard +0.3
    7 A machine, which cuts bread dough for loaves, can be adjusted to cut dough to any specified set weight. For any set weight, \(\mu\) grams, the actual weights of cut dough are known to be approximately normally distributed with a mean of \(\mu\) grams and a fixed standard deviation of \(\sigma\) grams. It is also known that the machine cuts dough to within 10 grams of any set weight.
    1. Estimate, with justification, a value for \(\sigma\).
    2. The machine is set to cut dough to a weight of 415 grams. As a training exercise, Sunita, the quality control manager, asked Dev, a recently employed trainee, to record the weight of each of a random sample of 15 such pieces of dough selected from the machine's output. She then asked him to calculate the mean and the standard deviation of his 15 recorded weights. Dev subsequently reported to Sunita that, for his sample, the mean was 391 grams and the standard deviation was 95.5 grams. Advise Sunita on whether or not each of Dev's values is likely to be correct. Give numerical support for your answers.
    3. Maria, an experienced quality control officer, recorded the weight, \(y\) grams, of each of a random sample of 10 pieces of dough selected from the machine's output when it was set to cut dough to a weight of 820 grams. Her summarised results were as follows. $$\sum y = 8210.0 \quad \text { and } \quad \sum ( y - \bar { y } ) ^ { 2 } = 110.00$$ Explain, with numerical justifications, why both of these values are likely to be correct.
    Pre-U Pre-U 9794/3 2018 June Q5
    9 marks Standard +0.3
    5 A soft drinks company has an automated bottling machine that fills 500 ml bottles with soft drink. The contents of the bottles are measured during a check on the machine. In the check, \(5 \%\) of the bottles contain more than 500 ml and \(2.5 \%\) contain less than 495 ml . It is given that the amount of drink dispensed per bottle is normally distributed.
    1. Find the mean and standard deviation of the amount of drink dispensed per bottle, giving your answers to 4 significant figures.
    2. It is subsequently found that the measurements of volume made in the checking process are all 3 ml below their true value. Using a corrected distribution, find the probability that a bottle chosen at random contains more than 500 ml of the drink.
    WJEC Unit 4 2023 June Q3
    Standard +0.2
    The continuous random variable \(X\) is uniformly distributed over the interval \([ 1 , d ]\). a) The 90 th percentile of \(X\) is 19 . Find the value of \(d\).
    b) Calculate the mean and standard deviation of \(X\).
    \(\mathbf { 0 }\)\(\mathbf { 4 } \quad\) A bakery produces large loaves with masses, in grams, that are normally distributed
    with mean \(\mu\) and variance \(\sigma ^ { 2 }\). It is found that \(11 \%\) of the large loaves weigh more than 805 g and that \(20 \%\) of the large loaves weigh less than 795 g .
    a) Find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\). The bakery also produces small loaves with masses, in grams, that are normally distributed with mean 400 and standard deviation 9 . Following a change of management at the bakery, a customer suspects that the mean mass of the small loaves has decreased. The customer weighs the next 15 small loaves that he purchases and calculates their mean mass to be 397 g .
    b) Perform a hypothesis test at the \(5 \%\) significance level to investigate the customer's suspicion, assuming the standard deviation, in grams, is still 9.
    c) State another assumption you have made in part (b). 5 A medical researcher is investigating possible links between diet and a particular disease. She selects a random sample of 22 countries and records the average daily calorie intake per capita from sugar and the percentage of the population who suffer from this disease. \begin{figure}[h]
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Sugar consumption and rate of disease} \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{9c111615-42d5-4804-8eb3-c20fe8d9faee-05_654_1264_591_461}
    \end{figure} There are 22 data points and the product moment correlation coefficient is \(0 \cdot 893\).
    a) Stating your hypotheses clearly, show that these data could be used to suggest that there is a link between the disease and sugar consumption. The medical researcher realises that her data is from the year 2000. She repeats her investigation with a random sample of 13 countries using new data from the year 2020. She produces the following graph. \begin{figure}[h]
    \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Sugar consumption and rate of disease} \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{9c111615-42d5-4804-8eb3-c20fe8d9faee-05_700_1273_1763_461}
    \end{figure} b) How should the researcher interpret the new data in the light of the data from 2000? \section*{Section B: Differential Equations and Mechanics}
    06
    A particle \(P\) moves on a horizontal plane, where \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) are unit vectors in directions east and north respectively. At time \(t\) seconds, the position vector of \(P\) is given by \(\mathbf { r }\) metres, where $$\mathbf { r } = \left( t ^ { 3 } - 7 t ^ { 2 } \right) \mathbf { i } + \left( 2 t ^ { 2 } - 15 t + 11 \right) \mathbf { j }$$ a) i) Find an expression for the velocity vector of \(P\) at time \(t \mathrm {~s}\).
    ii) Determine the value of \(t\) when \(P\) is moving north-east and hence write down the velocity of \(P\) at this value of \(t\).
    b) Find the acceleration vector of \(P\) when \(t = 7\).
    \(\mathbf { 0 }\)\(\mathbf { 7 } \quad\) A rod \(A B\), of mass 20 kg and length 3.2 m , is resting horizontally in equilibrium on two
    smooth supports at points \(X\) and \(Y\), where \(A X = 0.4 \mathrm {~m}\) and \(A Y = 2.4 \mathrm {~m}\). A particle of mass 8 kg is attached to the rod at a point \(C\), where \(B C = 0.2 \mathrm {~m}\). The reaction of the support at \(Y\) is four times the reaction of the support at \(X\). You may not assume that the rod \(A B\) is uniform.
    a) i) Find the magnitude of each of the reaction forces exerted on the rod at \(X\) and \(Y\).
    ii) Show that the weight of the rod acts at the midpoint of \(A B\).
    b) Is it now possible to determine whether the rod is uniform or non-uniform? Give a reason for your answer. A boy kicks a ball from a point \(O\) on horizontal ground towards a vertical wall \(A B\). The initial speed of the ball is \(23 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) in a direction that is \(18 ^ { \circ }\) above the horizontal. The diagram below shows a window \(C D\) in the wall \(A B\), such that \(B D = 1.1 \mathrm {~m}\) and \(B C = 2 \cdot 2 \mathrm {~m}\). The horizontal distance from \(O\) to \(B\) is 8 m . \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{9c111615-42d5-4804-8eb3-c20fe8d9faee-07_567_1540_605_274} You may assume that the window will break if the ball strikes it with a speed of at least \(21 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\).
    a) Show that the ball strikes the window and determine whether or not the window breaks.
    b) Give one reason why your answer to part (a) may be unreliable. The diagram below shows a wooden crate of mass 35 kg being pushed on a rough horizontal floor, by a force of magnitude 380 N inclined at an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) below the horizontal. The crate, which may be modelled as a particle, is moving at a constant speed. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{9c111615-42d5-4804-8eb3-c20fe8d9faee-08_394_665_573_701}
    a) The coefficient of friction between the crate and the floor is \(\mu\). Show that $$\mu = \frac { 190 \sqrt { 3 } } { 533 } .$$ Suppose instead that the crate is pulled with the same force of 380 N inclined at an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) above the horizontal, as shown in the diagram below. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{9c111615-42d5-4804-8eb3-c20fe8d9faee-08_392_663_1425_701}
    b) Without carrying out any further calculations, explain why the crate will no longer move at a constant speed.
    Edexcel S1 2002 January Q5
    11 marks Standard +0.3
    The duration of the pregnancy of a certain breed of cow is normally distributed with mean \(\mu\) days and standard deviation \(\sigma\) days. Only 2.5\% of all pregnancies are shorter than 235 days and 15\% are longer than 286 days.
    1. Show that \(\mu - 235 = 1.96\sigma\). [2]
    2. Obtain a second equation in \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\). [3]
    3. Find the value of \(\mu\) and the value of \(\sigma\). [4]
    4. Find the values between which the middle 68.3\% of pregnancies lie. [2]
    Edexcel S1 Specimen Q2
    9 marks Standard +0.8
    A group of students believes that the time taken to travel to college, \(T\) minutes, can be assumed to be normally distributed. Within the college 5\% of students take at least 55 minutes to travel to college and 0.1\% take less than 10 minutes. Find the mean and standard deviation of \(T\). [9]
    OCR S2 2010 January Q6
    7 marks Moderate -0.8
    The continuous random variable \(X\) has the distribution N(\(\mu\), \(\sigma^2\)).
    1. Each of the three following sets of probabilities is impossible. Give a reason in each case why the probabilities cannot both be correct. (You should not attempt to find \(\mu\) or \(\sigma\).)
      1. P(\(X > 50\)) = 0.7 and P(\(X < 50\)) = 0.2 [1]
      2. P(\(X > 50\)) = 0.7 and P(\(X > 70\)) = 0.8 [1]
      3. P(\(X > 50\)) = 0.3 and P(\(X < 70\)) = 0.3 [1]
    2. Given that P(\(X > 50\)) = 0.7 and P(\(X < 70\)) = 0.7, find the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\). [4]
    OCR H240/02 2023 June Q11
    9 marks Standard +0.3
    The random variable \(Y\) has the distribution \(\text{N}(\mu, \sigma^2)\).
    1. Find \(\text{P}(Y > \mu - \sigma)\). [1]
    2. Given that \(\text{P}(Y > 45) = 0.2\) and \(\text{P}(Y < 25) = 0.3\), determine the values of \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\). [6]
    The random variables \(U\) and \(V\) have the distributions \(\text{N}(10, 4)\) and \(\text{N}(12, 9)\) respectively.
    1. It is given that \(\text{P}(U < b) = \text{P}(V > c)\), where \(b > 10\) and \(c < 12\). Determine \(b\) in terms of \(c\). [2]
    AQA Paper 3 2021 June Q18
    10 marks Moderate -0.3
    A factory produces jars of jam and jars of marmalade.
    1. The weight, \(X\) grams, of jam in a jar can be modelled as a normal variable with mean 372 and a standard deviation of 3.5
      1. Find the probability that the weight of jam in a jar is equal to 372 grams. [1 mark]
      2. Find the probability that the weight of jam in a jar is greater than 368 grams. [2 marks]
    2. The weight, \(Y\) grams, of marmalade in a jar can be modelled as a normal variable with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\)
      1. Given that \(P(Y < 346) = 0.975\), show that $$346 - \mu = 1.96\sigma$$ Fully justify your answer. [3 marks]
      2. Given further that $$P(Y < 336) = 0.14$$ find \(\mu\) and \(\sigma\) [4 marks]