Edexcel Statistics 2 Continuous random variables

Section 2: Mean and variance

Section test

1) A continuous random variable X has the cumulative distribution function F(x),

given by
0 for x 1
1
F( x) 16 ( x 1) 2
for 1 x 5
1 for x 5

Find the median of X.

Find the upper quartile of X.

2) The continuous random variable X has probability density function f(x), where
274 x 2 (3 x) for 0 x 3
f ( x)
0 otherwise.

Find E(X) and Var (X).

Find the mode of X.

3) The continuous random variable X has p.d.f. f(x), where

3 x2 for 1 x 3
f ( x) 26
0 otherwise.

Find the median of X.

Find the interquartile range of X.

4) A continuous random variable Y has p.d.f. f(y), where

121 (3 y ) for 3 y 0
1
f ( y ) 20 (5 y ) for 0 y 5

0 otherwise

Find the mean of Y and the variance of Y.

Find the median of Y.

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 Edexcel S2 Continuous R.V. 2 section test solutions

Solutions to section test

1) For the median, m, F(m ) 0.5

1
16 (m 1)2 0.5
(m 1)2 8
m1 8
m 1 8
Since the median must be between 1 and 5, m 1 8 3.83
The median of X is 3.83 (3 s.f.)

For the upper quartile, F(q ) 0.75

1
16 (q 1)2 0.75
(q 1)2 12
q 1 12
q 1 12
Since the upper quartile must be between 1 and 5, q 1 12 4.46
The upper quartile of X is 4.46 (3 s.f.)

3
2) E(X) x 27
4
x 2(3 x )dx
0

3x x 4 dx
3
4
27
3
0
3
43 x 4 51 x 5 0
4
27

27
4
2434 5 0
243

36( 41 51 )
1.8

3
Var (X) = x 2 27
4
x 2(3 x )dx [E( X )]2
0

3x x 5 dx 1.8 2
3
4
27
4
0
3
4
27 53 x 5 61 x 6 0 1.8 2
4
27 729
5
729
6 0 1.8 2
0.36
1 f(x)

f( x ) 4
27 x 2(3 x ) 4
27 (3 x 2 x 3 )
df
4
27 (6 x 3 x 2 ) 4
27 x(6 3 x )
dx
df
When 0, x 0 or x 2 x

dx 1 2 3 4

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 Edexcel S2 Continuous R.V. 2 section test solutions
From graph, x = 2 is a maximum
so the mode of X is 2.

x
3) F( x ) 3
26 u 2 du
1
x
Since we need to find
u 1
3
26
1
3
3
the quartiles in the next
question, it is worth
261 ( x 3 1) finding the c.d.f.
For median, F(m ) 0.5
1
26 (m 3 1) 0.5
m 3 1 13
m 3 14
m 2.41 (3 s.f.)

For lower quartile: F(q 1 ) 0.25

1
26 (q 13 1) 0.25
q 13 1 6.5
q 13 7.5
For upper quartile: F(q 3 ) 0.75
1
26 (q 33 1) 0.75
q 33 1 19.5
q 33 20.5
Interquartile range 3 20.5 3 7.5 0.779 (3 s.f.)

0 5
4) E(Y) 1
12 (3 y y 2 )dy 1
20 (5 y y 2 )dy
3 0
0 5
1
12 23 y 2 31 y 3 201 52 y 2 31 y 3
3 0

1
12 0 ( 272 9) 201 1252 1253 0
8 43 25
9 25
8 12

2
3

0 5
Var(Y) 1
12 (3 y 2 y 3 )dy 1
20 (5 y 2 y 3 )dy [E (Y )]2
3 0
0 5
y 3 41 y 4 201 53 y 3 41 y 4 23 2
1
12
3 0

12 0 ( 27 4 ) 20 3 4 0 49
1 81 1 625 625

2.72 (3 s.f.)

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 Edexcel S2 Continuous R.V. 2 section test solutions
5)
f(y)
From the graph, the median
must be positive since the
area under the part of the
graph for which x is negative
is clearly smaller than the
area under the part of the
-3 m 5 y graph for which x is positive.

Using area of triangle:

2 (5 m ) f(m ) 0.5
1

1
2 (5 m ) 201 (5 m ) 0.5 Integration could be used, but
since the probability distribution
(5 m ) 20
2
consists of straight lines, it is
5 m 20 easier just to use area formulae.

m 5 20
Since m < 5, m 5 20 0.528 so the median is 0.528 (3 s.f.)

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