Maths B Notes 2 – Probability
Questions to be on the Test:
Q1. [K&P]E/D Lev. Tn & Sn given.
Q2. [K&P]E/D Lev. Discrete Variables
Q3. [K&P]E/D Lev. Binomial Distribution;
Simple rule. nCxpxqn-x
Q4. [K&P]D/C Lev. G.P.
Q6. [K&P]D/C Lev. Probability Density
Function
Q7. [K&P]C/B Lev. G.P
Q11. [K&P]C/B Lev. Binomial Distribution
Q13. [K&P]B/A Lev. Binomial Distribution
Q15. [M&P]D/C Lev. Binomial Distribution
Q18&19. [M&P]B/A Lev. On anything
under the vast heading of Probability.
Exponential Growth and Decay (I’m
guessing this could be on Q4)
-Populations, bank savings etc can
grow exponentially.
- If an amount is growing by 8%, then
it becomes 108% of the original when
using exponential Growth. As a
decimal (1.08) this is the ratio or ‘r’ of
the sequence.
- However when using Exponential
Decay, if an amount is decreasing by
say 6%, then it becomes 94% of the
original and 0.94 as the ratio.
- It’s quite similar to the Tn formula for
a GP, so just make sure you’re using
the right one. A good way to
remember it is that an initial amount
happens when n=0, so I can’t really
use the n-1 formula.
Example:
An amount of $2000 is invested at 8%
p.a. How much is the investment
worth for each of the four years?
(AND YOU’D PROBABLY TRY TO USE
ANNUITIES. ANOTHER CLASSIC
EXAMPLE OF TEACHER SNEAKINESS)
So: GP, a = 2000; r = 1.08
Tn=arn
T0 =2000
T1=2000x1.081 = $2160
T2=2000x1.082 = $2332.80
T3=2000x1.083 = $2519.42
T4=2000x1.084 = $2720.97
That’s one of the basic examples.
There’s more in the sheet with re-
arranging to find ‘a’ and ‘r’
respectively. Some of them have little
tricks in them, I’d have a look and have
a go at them.
Definitions:
Geometric Pattern/Sequence(GP): A sequence where each term
is found by multiplying the previous one by a constant (that is, a
number that stays the same).
Tn: The nth number within a sequence. Eg. T4 of 1,3,9,27 is 27.
Sn: The sum of all previous terms at term number n. Eg. S 4 of
1,3,9,27 is 40.
Discrete Variable: This variable takes only distinct values with
nothing in between, eg Population and shoe size. Don’t talk
about midgets or amputees on the exam.
Continuous Variable: This variable can take on any value within a
certain domain, eg. Height and weight. Measurements are
rounded.
Q1, Q4,Q7– Geometric Pattern/Sequence.
n
(n-1) a ( r −1 )
Rules: Tn = ar Sn =
r −1
T2
n
Also Tn = a r T3
T 1=
T2
- Take note that ‘a’ is always the starting number in a
sequence, and ‘r’ is the ratio.
- These formulas should be on the formula sheet, so
don’t bother learning them. But know the difference
between arn-1 and arn. See funky Exponential Growth
box for difference. I’m guessing this will be on Q4.
- Q1 will just be one of the general exercises we did in the
handout. There’s twenty questions of those that would
be good to practice.
- Q7 will be a trickier one, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to
be similar to this one we did in class as a harder
example.
Eg. X+6, x+2, X-1 are three terms in a GP. Find x.
This one makes use of the T2\T1 = T3\T2 Rule that
usually is used to test if a sequence is a GP by finding
the ratio, ‘r’.
In this case, we use it like this:
(x +2) ( x−1)
=
(X + 6) ( x+ 2)
We then cross multiply to get:
(x+2)(x+2) = (x-1)(x+6)
Then, we know that: x = 10
Q2 – Discrete Variables
This is pretty simple stuff. Here’s an example:
Note in P(X=x), capital ‘X’ represents the random
variable, and the little ‘x’ represents the
outcomes.
The random variable ‘X’ is the number of dots
on the uppermost face of the die where the
possible outcomes are 1,2,3,4,5 & 6.
This means that it can be written as:
Q6 – Probability Density Function
A Probability Distribution is called a Probability
Density Function (PDF) if all probabilities are non-
negative (positive or zero) and if the probabilities
sum to 1.
These usually have an ‘x’ somewhere in the formula.
Bit trickier, but not too hard. Example below:

1
F(x) = 6
{ for x =1,2,3,4,5,6
0 otherwise
F(x) =
{
x
1− for x=2,3.
5
0 otherwise
X 1 2 3 4 5 6
X 2 3
P(X=x) 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 1/6 P(X=x) 2 3
- Note that the total of P(X=x) is one. 1− 1−
5 5
- The table can also be graphed in scatter
plot style. ∑ P ( X =x )=1 so is a PDF
This is a pretty crap
example of what
the graph is meant
Q3, Q11, Q13, Q15 – Binomial Distribution to look like, but
( nCxpxqn-x Rule stuff) that ‘s it.

n x n-x
Rules: Cxp q
X B(n,p)
Expected Value(mean) : E(x)=np
Variance: Var(x)=npq
Standard Deviation: SD(x) = √ npq
This is where ‘p’ is the probability of success
and ‘q’ is the probability of failure. I’m not
sure if the above rules will be on the
formula sheet, so try to remember them.
Exercises for this style of stuff are on the
handout worksheet, and also
-Binomial Distribution; pg. 315 Exercise 9C
- Multiple Probabilities; pg 319 Exercise 9D.
Hard M&P questions are 21-26.
-Expected Values; pg 326 Exercise 9E. Hard
M&P questions are 21-27.
Also homework assignments 1 and 3. Mrs
Wright said to not do question 7 on T3HA1
also, so don’t exert yourself
Within a table of results, P(x=x) totalled will
always be equal to 1.
GC Calculator
To get the ‘C’ in the run mode:
OPTNArrow for more optionsPROBnCr
To get answers quickly,
STAT IN MENUDISTBINMBPD or BCD
- I’d just use BPD, and total up the answers
yourself.
- DON’T FORGET TO PUT 0 TO THE AMOUNT
OF NUMBERS YOU WANT IN THE LIST
BEFORE ENTERING YOUR BPD STUFF.
The ones you’ve programmed in class will have
disappeared after resetting your calc before you
enter the room. And don’t forget the first
number you get on BPD is the zero figure, not
one as it says.