ESSENTIAL STATISTICS 2E

William Navidi and Barry Monk

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 The Binomial Distribution

Section 5.2

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 Objectives
1. Determine whether a random variable is binomial
2. Determine the probability distribution of a binomial random
variable
3. Compute binomial probabilities
4. Compute the mean and variance of a binomial random
variable

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 Objective 1
Determine whether a random variable is
binomial

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 Binomial Distribution
Suppose that your favorite fast food chain is giving away a coupon with
every purchase of a meal. Twenty percent of the coupons entitle
you to a free hamburger, and the rest of them say better luck next
time. Ten of you order lunch at this restaurant.

Suppose we want to know the probability that three of you win a free
hamburger? In general, if we let be the number of people out of ten
that win a free hamburger. What is the probability distribution of ?

In this section, we will learn that has a distribution called the

binomial distribution, which is one of the most useful probability
distributions.

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 Conditions for a Binomial Distribution
In the problem just described, each time we examine a coupon, we call it a
trial, so there are 10 trials. When a coupon is good for a free hamburger, we
will call it a success. The random variable represents the number of
successes in 10 trials.
A random variable that represents the number of successes in a series of trials
has a probability distribution called the binomial distribution. The conditions
are:
A fixed number of trials are conducted.
There are two possible outcomes for each trial. One is labeled success and
the other is labeled failure.
The probability of success is the same on each trial.
The trials are independent. This means that the outcome of one trial does
not affect the outcomes of the other trials.
The random variable represents the number of successes that occur.
Notation: = number of trials, = probability of a success
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 Example 1: Binomial Experiment
A fair coin is tossed ten times. Let be the number of times
the coin lands heads. Is this a binomial experiment?

This is a binomial experiment. Each toss of the coin is a trial.

There are two possible outcomes, heads and tails. Since
represents the number of heads, heads counts as a success.
The trials are independent, because the outcome of one
coin toss does not affect the other tosses.

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 Example 2: Binomial Experiment
Five basketball players each attempt a free throw. Let be
the number of free throws made. Is this a binomial
experiment?

This is not a binomial experiment. The probability of

success (making a shot) differs from player to player,
because they will not all be equally skilled at making free
throws.

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 Example 3: Binomial Experiment
Ten cards are in a box. Five are red and five are green. Three
of the cards are drawn at random. Let be the number of
red cards drawn. Is this a binomial experiment?

This is not a binomial experiment because the trials are not

independent.

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 Objective 2
Determine the probability distribution of a
binomial random variable

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 The Binomial Probability Distribution
Consider the binomial experiment of tossing 3 times a biased coin that has
probability 0.6 of coming up heads. Let be the number of heads that
come up. If we want to compute (2), the probability that exactly 2 of the
tosses are heads, there are 3 arrangements of two heads in three tosses:
HHT, HTH, THH. The probability of HHT is (HHT) = (0.6)(0.6)(0.4) =
(0.6)2(0.4). Similarly, we find that (HTH) = (THH) = (0.6)2(0.4).

Now, (2) = (HHT or HTH or THH) = 3(0.6)2(0.4), by the Addition Rule.

Examining this result, we see the number 3 represents the number of
arrangements of two successes (heads) and one failure (tails). In general,
this number will be the number of arrangements of successes in trials,
which is . The number 0.6 is the success probability which has an
exponent of 2, the number of successes . The number 0.4 is the failure
probability 1 which has an exponent of 1, which is the number of
failures, .
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 The Binomial Probability Distribution Formula
In general, for a binomial random variable ,

The possible values of the random variable are 0, 1, , .

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 Objective 3*
Compute binomial probabilities
*(Hand Computation)

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 Example: Binomial (Hand Computation)
The Pew Research Center reported in a recent year that approximately
30% of U.S. adults own a tablet computer such as an iPad, Samsung
Galaxy Tab, or Kindle Fire. Suppose a simple random sample of 15 people
is taken. Use the binomial probability distribution to find the following
probabilities.

a) Find the probability that exactly four of the sampled people own a
tablet computer.
b) Find the probability that fewer than three of the people own a tablet
computer.
c) Find the probability that more than one person owns a tablet
computer.
d) Find the probability that the number of people who own a tablet
computer is between 1 and 4, inclusive.

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 Example: Part a) (Hand Comp.)
Note that = 15 and = 0.3.

a) Find the probability that exactly four of the sampled people own a
tablet computer.

We use the binomial probability distribution with = 4:

4 = 154 0.3 4 1 0.3 154
15!
= 0.3 4 0.7 11
4! 15 4 !
= 1365 0.3 4 0.7 11
= 0.219

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 Example: Part b) (Hand Comp.)
b) Find the probability that fewer than three of the people own a tablet
computer.

The possible numbers of people that are fewer than three are 0, 1, and 2:

P (0 or 1 or 2) = 15C0(0.3)0 (1 0.3)15-0 + 15C1(0.3)1 (1 0.3)15-1

+ 15C2(0.3)2 (1 0.3)15-2
= 0.0047+0.0305 + 0.0916
= 0.127

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 Example: Part c) (Hand Comp.)
c) Find the probability that more than one person owns a tablet
computer.

We use the Rule of Complements. The complement of more than 1 is

1 or fewer or equivalently, 0 or 1.

The probability of the 0 or 1 is:

P (0 or 1) = 15C0(0.3)0 (1 0.3)15-0 + 15C1(0.3)1 (1 0.3)15-1
= 0.0047+0.0305
= 0.035
Now, use the Rule of Complements:
More than 1 = 1 0 or 1
= 1 0.035
= 0.965
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 Example: Part d) (Hand Comp.)
d) Find the probability that the number of people who own a tablet
computer is between 1 and 4, inclusive.

Between 1 and 4 inclusive means, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

P (1 or 2 or 3 or 4) = 15C1(0.3)
1 (10.3)15-1 + 15C2(0.3)2 (10.3)15-2
+ 15C3(0.3)3 (10.3)15-3 + 15C4(0.3)4 (10.3)15-4
= 0.0305 + 0.0916 + 0.1700 + 0.2186
= 0.511

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 Objective 3**
Compute binomial probabilities
**(Tables)

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 Example: Binomial (Tables)
The Pew Research Center reported in a recent year that approximately
30% of U.S. adults own a tablet computer such as an iPad, Samsung
Galaxy Tab, or Kindle Fire. Suppose a simple random sample of 15 people
is taken. Use the binomial probability distribution to find the following
probabilities.

a) Find the probability that exactly four of the sampled people own a
tablet computer.
b) Find the probability that fewer than three of the people own a
tablet computer.
c) Find the probability that more than one person owns a tablet
computer.
d) Find the probability that the number of people who own a tablet
computer is between 1 and 4, inclusive.
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 Example: Part a) (Tables)
Note that = 15 and = 0.3.

a) Find the probability that exactly four of the sampled people

own a tablet computer.

(4) = 0.219

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 Example: Part b) (Tables)
b) Find the probability that fewer than three of the people own a
tablet computer.

Fewer than 3 = 0 + 1 + 2
= 0.005 + 0.031 + 0.092
= 0.128

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 Example: Part c) (Tables)
c) Find the probability that more than one person owns a tablet
computer.

We use the Rule of Complements. The complement of more than 1

is 1 or fewer or equivalently, 0 or 1.

The probability of the 0 or 1 is:

P (0 or 1) = 0.005+0.031 = 0.036
Now, use the Rule of Complements:
More than 1 = 1 0 or 1
= 1 0.036
= 0.964
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 Example: Part d) (Tables)
d) Find the probability that the number of people who own a tablet
computer is between 1 and 4, inclusive.

Between 1 and 4, inclusive = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4

= 0.031 + 0.092 + 0.170 + 0.219
= 0.511

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 Objective 3***
Compute binomial probabilities
***(TI-84 PLUS)

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 Binomial Probabilities on the TI-84 PLUS
In the TI-84 PLUS Calculator, there are two primary commands for computing
binomial probabilities. These are binompdf and binomcdf. These commands
are on the DISTR (distributions) menu accessed by pressing 2nd, VARS.

The binompdf command is used when

finding the probability that the binomial
random variable is equal to a specific
value, .

The binomcdf command is used when

finding the probability that the binomial
random variable is less than or equal to
a specified value, .

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 binompdf and binomcdf Commands
binompdf
To compute the probability that the random variable equals the
value given the parameters and , use the binompdf command
with the following format:
binompdf(n,p,x)
binomcdf
To compute the probability that the random variable is less than or
equal to the value given the parameters and , use the binomcdf
command with the following format:
binomcdf(n,p,x)

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 Example: Binomial (TI-84 PLUS)
The Pew Research Center reported in a recent year that approximately
30% of U.S. adults own a tablet computer such as an iPad, Samsung
Galaxy Tab, or Kindle Fire. Suppose a simple random sample of 15 people
is taken. Use the binomial probability distribution to find the following
probabilities.

a) Find the probability that exactly four of the sampled people own a
tablet computer.
b) Find the probability that fewer than three of the people own a tablet
computer.
c) Find the probability that more than one person owns a tablet
computer.
d) Find the probability that the number of people who own a tablet
computer is between 1 and 4, inclusive.

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 Example: Part a) (TI-84 PLUS)
Note that = 15 and = 0.3.

a) Find the probability that exactly four of the sampled people own a
tablet computer.

Since we are finding the probability that

equals 4, we use the binompdf command
with = 15, = 0.3, and = 4. We find the
probability that exactly four people own a
tablet computer is 0.219.

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 Example: Part b) (TI-84 PLUS)
b) Find the probability that fewer than three of the people own a
tablet computer.

The binomcdf command computes the probability that there are less
than or equal to successes. The event fewer than three is
equivalent to less than or equal to two.

We run the command binomcdf(15, 0.3, 2) to

find that the probability that fewer than three
of the people own a tablet computer is 0.1268.

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 Example: Part c) (TI-84 PLUS)
c) Find the probability that more than one person owns a tablet
computer.

We use the Rule of Complements. The complement of more than 1

is 1 or fewer. We use the command binomcdf(15, 0.3, 1) to first
find the probability that 1 or fewer people own a tablet computer,
and then subtract this value from 1 to find the probability that more
than one person owns a tablet computer. The result is approximately
0.965.

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 Example: Part d) (TI-84 PLUS)
d) Find the probability that the number of people who own a tablet
computer is between 1 and 4, inclusive.

Because (Between 1 and 4) = (4 or less) (0), we can find the

probability using the commands
binomcdf(15, 0.30, 4) binompdf(15, 0.30, 0)
The result is approximately 0.511.

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 Objective 4
Compute the mean and variance of a binomial
random variable

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 Mean, Variance, and Standard Deviation
Let be a binomial random variable with trials and
success probability .

Then the mean of is

=

The variance of is
= ( )

The standard deviation of is

= ( )
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 Example: Mean and Standard Deviation
The probability that a new car of a certain model will require repairs
during the warranty period is 0.15. A particular dealership sells 25
such cars. Let be the number that will require repairs during the
warranty period. Find the mean and standard deviation of .

Solution:
There are = 25 trials, with success probability = 0.15.
The mean is
= = 25 0.15
= 3.75
The standard deviation is
= 1 = 25 0.15 1 0.15
= 1.785

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 You Should Know . . .
How to determine whether a random variable is binomial
The notation for a binomial experiment
How to determine the probability distribution of a
binomial random variable
How to compute binomial probabilities
How to compute the mean and variance of a binomial
random variable

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