Basic Terms and Concepts
Binomial Distribution
This important distribution applies in some cases to repeated trials where
there are only two possible outcomes, like as:
heads or tails
success or failure
defective item or good item
or many other possible pairs.
The probability of each outcome can be calculated using the multiplication rule,
perhaps with a tree diagram, but it is usually much faster and more convenient
to use a general formula.
Basic Terms and Concepts
Consider the following Random Experiments and Random Variables:
Basic Terms and Concepts
Bernoulli Trial & Bernoulli Process
An experiment often consists of repeated trials, each with two possible outcomes that
may be labeled as success or failure. A trial with only two possible outcomes is used
so frequently as a building block of a random experiment that it is called a Bernoulli
Trial. The process is referred to as a Bernoulli Process.
The terms success and failure are just labels. We can just as well use A & B or 0 & 1.
It is usually assumed that the trials that constitute the random experiment are independent. This
implies that the outcome from one trial has no effect on the outcome to be obtained from any
other trial. Furthermore, it is often reasonable to assume that the probability of a success in each
trial is constant.
Properties of Bernoulli Process
Strictly speaking, the Bernoulli process must possess the following properties:
o 1. The experiment consists of repeated trials.
o 2. Each trial results in an outcome that may be classified as a success or a failure.
o 3. The probability of success, denoted by p, remains constant from trial to trial.
o 4. The repeated trials are independent.
Basic Terms and Concepts
Example
Basic Terms and Concepts
Basic Terms and Concepts
Binomial Distribution
Binomial Distribution
Binomial Distribution
Where Does the Name Binomial Come From?
Mean and Variance of Binomial Distribution
Binomial Distribution
Binomial Distribution Table
Binomial Distribution Table
Binomial Distribution Table
Binomial Distribution Table
Binomial Distribution Table
Working Problems
Binomial Distribution
Example
Working Problems
Working Problems
Working Problems
Working Problems
Working Problems
Working Problems
Homeworks
Let X be a binomial random variable with 𝑝 = 0.2 and 𝑛 = 20. Use the binomial table to
determine the following probabilities.
𝑎 𝑃 𝑋≤3 𝑏 𝑃 𝑋 > 10
𝑎 𝑃 𝑋=6 𝑑 𝑃 6 ≤ 𝑋 ≤ 11
An electronic product contains 40 integrated circuits. The probability that any integrated
circuit is defective is 0.01, and the integrated circuits are independent. The product operates
only if there are no defective integrated circuits. What is the probability that the product
operates?
A multiple-choice test contains 20 questions, each with four answers. Assume a student just
guesses on each question.
a) What is the probability that the student answers more than 15 questions correctly?
b) What is the probability that the student answers less than five questions correctly?
Let X denote the number of bits received in error in a digital communication channel, and
assume that X is a binomial random variable with 𝑝 = 0.001. If 1000 bits are transmitted,
determine the following:
𝑎 𝑃 𝑋=1 𝑏 𝑃 𝑋≥1
𝑎 𝑃 𝑋≤2 𝑑 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑋
A homeowner has just installed 20 light bulbs in a new home. Suppose that each has a
probability 0.2 of functioning more than three months. What is the probability that at least five
of these function more than three months?
Homework
A company supplying transistors claims that they produce no more than 2% defectives. A
purchaser picks 50 at random from an order of 5000 and tests the 50. If he finds more than 1
defective, he rejects the order. If the supplier’s claim is true and 2% of the transistors are
defective, what is the probability that the order will be rejected?
The probability that a certain type of IC chip will fail after installation is 0.06. A memory
board for a computer contains twelve such chips. The operation will be satisfactory if ten or
more of the chips on the board do not fail.
a) What is the probability that a memory board operates satisfactorily?
b) If there are five such memory boards in a given computer, what is the probability that
at least four of them operate satisfactorily?
5% of a large lot of electrical components are defective. Six batches of four components each
are drawn from this lot at random.
a) What is the probability that any one batch contains fewer than two defectives?
b) What is the probability that at least five of the six batches contain fewer than two
defectives each?
In a particular computer chip 8 bits form a byte, and the chip contains 112 bytes. The
probability of a bad bit, one which contains a defect, is 1.2 E-04.
a) What is the probability of a bad byte, i.e. a byte which contains a defect?
b) The chip is designed so that it will function satisfactorily if at least 108 of its 112
bytes are good. What is the probability that the chip will not function satisfactorily?
