Exam-Style Problems

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9709 P53 - Nov 2023 - Q5
3280

The probability that a driver passes an advanced driving test is 0.3 on any given attempt. 75 people will take their advanced driving test next week. Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 20 of them will pass next week.

9709 P52 - Jun 2022 - Q5
3281

In a large college, 28% of the students do not play any musical instrument, 52% play exactly one musical instrument and the remainder play two or more musical instruments.

A random sample of 90 students from the college is now chosen.

Use an approximation to find the probability that fewer than 40 of these students play exactly one musical instrument.

9709 P53 - Jun 2021 - Q7
3282

In the whole of Arka there are a large number of households. A survey showed that 35% of households in Arka have no broadband service.

(ii) 120 households in Arka are chosen at random.

Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 32 of these households have no broadband service.

9709 P52 - Jun 2021 - Q5
3283

Every day Richard takes a flight between Astan and Bejin. On any day, the probability that the flight arrives early is 0.15.

60 days are chosen at random.

Use an approximation to find the probability that Richard’s flight arrives early at least 12 times.

9709 P51 - Jun 2021 - Q6
3284

In Questa, 60% of the adults travel to work by car.

(b) A random sample of 150 adults from Questa is taken. Use an approximation to find the probability that the number who travel to work by car is less than 81. [5]

(c) Justify the use of your approximation in part (b). [1]

9709 P52 - Mar 2021 - Q7
3285

On average at all the schools in this country 30% of the students do not like any sports.

(ii) 90 students from this country are now chosen at random.

Use an approximation to find the probability that fewer than 32 of them do not like any sports.

9709 P53 - Nov 2020 - Q4
3286

The 13:00 train from Jahor to Keman runs every day. The probability that the train arrives late in Keman is 0.35.

A random sample of 142 days is taken.

Use an approximation to find the probability that the train arrives late on more than 40 days. [5]

9709 P53 - Jun 2020 - Q5
3287

A pair of fair coins is thrown repeatedly until a pair of tails is obtained. On an occasion, a pair of fair coins is thrown 80 times.

Use an approximation to find the probability that a pair of tails is obtained more than 25 times.

9709 P52 - Jun 2020 - Q7
3288

On any given day, the probability that Moena messages her friend Pasha is 0.72.

Use an approximation to find the probability that in any period of 100 days Moena messages Pasha on fewer than 64 days.

9709 P52 - Mar 2020 - Q5
3289

In Greenton, 70% of the adults own a car. A random sample of 8 adults from Greenton is chosen.

A random sample of 120 adults from Greenton is now chosen.

Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 75 of them own a car.

9709 P63 - Nov 2019 - Q7
3290

A competition is taking place between two choirs, the Notes and the Classics. There is a large audience for the competition.

  • 30% of the audience are Notes supporters.
  • 45% of the audience are Classics supporters.
  • The rest of the audience are not supporters of either of these choirs.
  • No one in the audience supports both of these choirs.

A random sample of 240 people is chosen from the audience. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that fewer than 50 do not support either of the choirs.

9709 P52 - Nov 2023 - Q3
3291

A factory produces a certain type of electrical component. It is known that 15% of the components produced are faulty. A random sample of 200 components is chosen.

Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 40 of these components are faulty.

9709 P62 - Nov 2019 - Q4
3292

In Quarendon, 66% of households are satisfied with the speed of their wifi connection.

A random sample of 150 households in Quarendon is chosen. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that more than 84 are satisfied with the speed of their wifi connection.

9709 P63 - Jun 2019 - Q5
3293

On average, 34% of the people who go to a particular theatre are men.

Use an approximation to find the probability that, in a random sample of 600 people who go to the theatre, fewer than 190 are men.

9709 P61 - Jun 2019 - Q5
3294

In a certain country the probability that a child owns a bicycle is 0.65.

A random sample of 250 children from this country is chosen. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that fewer than 179 own a bicycle.

9709 P62 - Mar 2019 - Q6
3295

The results of a survey by a large supermarket show that 35% of its customers shop online.

For a random sample of 100 customers, use a suitable approximating distribution to find the probability that more than 39 shop online.

9709 P63 - Nov 2018 - Q6
3296

New technology has resulted in a new type of light bulb. It is found that on average one in five of these new light bulbs has a lifetime of more than 2500 hours.

(ii) For a random selection of 300 of these new light bulbs, use a suitable approximate distribution to find the probability that fewer than 70 have a lifetime of more than 2500 hours.

(iii) Justify the use of your approximate distribution in part (ii).

9709 P61 - Nov 2018 - Q5
3297

At the Nonland Business College, all students sit an accountancy examination at the end of their first year of study. On average, 80% of the students pass this examination.

(ii) A random sample of 200 students who will take this examination is chosen. Use a suitable approximate distribution to find the probability that more than 166 of them will pass the examination.

(iii) Justify the use of your approximate distribution in part (ii).

9709 P63 - Jun 2018 - Q6
3298

The diameters of apples in an orchard have a normal distribution with mean 5.7 cm and standard deviation 0.8 cm. Apples with diameters between 4.1 cm and 5 cm can be used as toffee apples.

  1. Find the probability that an apple selected at random can be used as a toffee apple. [3]
  2. 250 apples are chosen at random. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that fewer than 50 can be used as toffee apples. [5]
9709 P62 - Jun 2018 - Q7
3299

In a certain country, 60% of mobile phones sold are made by Company A, 35% are made by Company B and 5% are made by other companies.

Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that, out of a random sample of 130 people who buy a mobile phone, at least 50 choose a mobile phone made by Company B.

9709 P61 - Jun 2018 - Q5
3300

In Pelmerdon 22% of families own a dishwasher.

A random sample of 145 families from Pelmerdon is chosen. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that more than 26 families own a dishwasher.

9709 P62 - Mar 2018 - Q8
3301

The results of a survey at a certain large college show that the proportion of students who own a car is \(\frac{1}{4}\).

For a random sample of 160 students at the college, use a suitable approximate distribution to find the probability that fewer than 50 own a car.

9709 P51 - Nov 2023 - Q3
3302

A farmer sells eggs. The weights, in grams, of the eggs can be modelled by a normal distribution with mean 80.5 and standard deviation 6.6. Eggs are classified as small, medium or large according to their weight. A small egg weighs less than 76 grams and 40% of the eggs are classified as medium.

(a) Find the percentage of eggs that are classified as small.

(b) Find the least possible weight of an egg classified as large.

150 of the eggs for sale last week were weighed.

(c) Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 68 of these eggs were classified as medium.

9709 P62 - Nov 2017 - Q5
3303

Blank CDs are packed in boxes of 30. The probability that a blank CD is faulty is 0.04. A box is rejected if more than 2 of the blank CDs are faulty.

  1. Find the probability that a box is rejected.
  2. 280 boxes are chosen randomly. Use an approximation to find the probability that at least 30 of these boxes are rejected.
9709 P63 - Jun 2017 - Q2
3304

The probability that George goes swimming on any day is \(\frac{1}{3}\). Use an approximation to calculate the probability that in 270 days George goes swimming at least 100 times.

9709 P62 - Mar 2017 - Q3
3305

It is found that 10% of the population enjoy watching Historical Drama on television. Use an appropriate approximation to find the probability that, out of 160 people chosen randomly, more than 17 people enjoy watching Historical Drama on television.

9709 P63 - Nov 2016 - Q7
3306

Each day Annabel eats rice, potato or pasta. The probability that she eats potato is 0.15.

Find the probability that Annabel eats potato on more than 44 days in a year of 365 days.

9709 P62 - Nov 2016 - Q3
3307

On any day at noon, the probabilities that Kersley is asleep or studying are 0.2 and 0.6 respectively. Use an approximation to find the probability that, in any period of 100 days, Kersley is asleep at noon on at most 30 days.

9709 P63 - Jun 2016 - Q7
3308

Passengers are travelling to Picton by minibus. The probability that each passenger carries a backpack is 0.65, independently of other passengers. Each minibus has seats for 12 passengers.

Find the probability that, of a random sample of 250 full minibuses travelling to Picton, more than 54 will contain exactly 7 passengers carrying backpacks.

9709 P62 - Jun 2016 - Q2
3309

When visiting the dentist the probability of waiting less than 5 minutes is 0.16, and the probability of waiting less than 10 minutes is 0.88.

(i) Find the probability of waiting between 5 and 10 minutes.

A random sample of 180 people who visit the dentist is chosen.

(ii) Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that more than 115 of these people wait between 5 and 10 minutes.

9709 P61 - Jun 2016 - Q5
3310

Plastic drinking straws are manufactured to fit into drinks cartons which have a hole in the top. A straw fits into the hole if the diameter of the straw is less than 3 mm. The diameters of the straws have a normal distribution with mean 2.6 mm and standard deviation 0.25 mm.

  1. A straw is chosen at random. Find the probability that it fits into the hole in a drinks carton.
  2. 500 straws are chosen at random. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that at least 480 straws fit into the holes in drinks cartons.
  3. Justify the use of your approximation.
9709 P63 - Nov 2015 - Q7
3311

A factory makes water pistols, 8% of which do not work properly.

(iii) A random sample of 1800 water pistols is taken. Use an approximation to find the probability that there are at least 152 that do not work properly.

(iv) Justify the use of your approximation in part (iii).

9709 P61 - Nov 2015 - Q7
3312

The faces of a biased die are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The probabilities of throwing odd numbers are all the same. The probabilities of throwing even numbers are all the same. The probability of throwing an odd number is twice the probability of throwing an even number.

  1. Find the probability of throwing a 3.
  2. The die is thrown three times. Find the probability of throwing two 5s and one 4.
  3. The die is thrown 100 times. Use an approximation to find the probability that an even number is thrown at most 37 times.
9709 P53 - Jun 2023 - Q2
3313

Anil is a candidate in an election. He received 40% of the votes. A random sample of 120 voters is chosen.

Use an approximation to find the probability that, of the 120 voters, between 36 and 54 inclusive voted for Anil.

9709 P63 - Jun 2015 - Q3
3314

On a production line making cameras, the probability of a randomly chosen camera being substandard is 0.072. A random sample of 300 cameras is checked. Find the probability that there are fewer than 18 cameras which are substandard.

9709 P61 - Jun 2015 - Q6
3315

(ii) Use an approximation to find the probability that, in a random sample of 500 households, more than 337 households have a printer.

(iii) Justify your use of the approximation in part (ii).

9709 P62 - Nov 2014 - Q7
3316

In Marumbo, three quarters of the adults own a cell phone.

(ii) A random sample of 160 adults from Marumbo is taken. Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 114 of them own a cell phone.

(iii) Justify the use of your approximation in part (ii).

9709 P63 - Jun 2014 - Q2
3317

There is a probability of \(\frac{1}{7}\) that Wenjie goes out with her friends on any particular day. 252 days are chosen at random.

  1. Use a normal approximation to find the probability that the number of days on which Wenjie goes out with her friends is less than 30 or more than 44. [5]
  2. Give a reason why the use of a normal approximation is justified. [1]
9709 P62 - Jun 2014 - Q7
3318

The time Rafa spends on his homework each day in term-time has a normal distribution with mean 1.9 hours and standard deviation \(\sigma\) hours. On 80% of these days he spends more than 1.35 hours on his homework.

  1. Find the value of \(\sigma\).
  2. Find the probability that, on a randomly chosen day in term-time, Rafa spends less than 2 hours on his homework.
  3. A random sample of 200 days in term-time is taken. Use an approximation to find the probability that the number of days on which Rafa spends more than 1.35 hours on his homework is between 163 and 173 inclusive.
9709 P62 - Nov 2013 - Q5
3319

On trains in the morning rush hour, each person is either a student with probability 0.36, or an office worker with probability 0.22, or a shop assistant with probability 0.29 or none of these.

300 people on a morning rush hour train are chosen at random. Find the probability that between 31 and 49 inclusive are neither students nor office workers nor shop assistants.

9709 P63 - Jun 2013 - Q4
3320

In a certain country, on average one student in five has blue eyes. For a random selection of 120 students, find the probability that fewer than 33 have blue eyes.

9709 P61 - Jun 2013 - Q2
3321

Assume that, for a randomly chosen person, their next birthday is equally likely to occur on any day of the week, independently of any other person's birthday. Find the probability that, out of 350 randomly chosen people, at least 47 will have their next birthday on a Monday.

9709 P62 - Nov 2012 - Q4
3322

The mean of a certain normally distributed variable is four times the standard deviation. The probability that a randomly chosen value is greater than 5 is 0.15.

200 values of the variable are chosen at random. Find the probability that at least 160 of these values are less than 5.

9709 P61 - Nov 2012 - Q6
3323

Ana meets her friends once every day. For each day the probability that she is early is 0.05 and the probability that she is late is 0.75. Otherwise she is on time.

Find the probability that she is on time on fewer than 20 of the next 96 days.

9709 P52 - Jun 2023 - Q5
3324

The lengths of Eastern bluebirds are normally distributed with mean 18.4 cm and standard deviation \(\sigma\) cm. It is known that 72% of Eastern bluebirds have length greater than 17.1 cm.

(b) Find the value of \(\sigma\).

A random sample of 120 Eastern bluebirds is chosen.

(c) Use an approximation to find the probability that fewer than 80 of these 120 bluebirds have length greater than 17.1 cm.

9709 P63 - Nov 2011 - Q6
3325

Human blood groups are identified by two parts. The first part is A, B, AB or O and the second part (the Rhesus part) is + or −. In the UK, 35% of the population are group A+, 8% are B+, 3% are AB+, 37% are O+, 7% are A−, 2% are B−, 1% are AB− and 7% are O−.

A random sample of 150 people in the UK is taken. Find the probability that more than 60 people are group A+.

9709 P62 - Nov 2011 - Q5
3326

A triangular spinner has one red side, one blue side and one green side. The red side is weighted so that the spinner is four times more likely to land on the red side than on the blue side. The green side is weighted so the spinner is three times more likely to land on the green side than on the blue side.

The spinner is spun 136 times. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that it lands on the blue side fewer than 20 times.

9709 P61 - Nov 2011 - Q1
3327

When a butternut squash seed is sown the probability that it will germinate is 0.86, independently of any other seeds. A market gardener sows 250 of these seeds. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that more than 210 germinate.

9709 P63 - Jun 2011 - Q5
3328

The random variable X is normally distributed with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\frac{1}{4} \mu\). It is given that \(\text{P}(X > 20) = 0.04\).

  1. Find \(\mu\).
  2. Find \(\text{P}(10 < X < 20)\).
  3. 250 independent observations of X are taken. Find the probability that at least 235 of them are less than 20.
9709 P62 - Jun 2011 - Q2
3329

In Scotland, in November, on average 80% of days are cloudy. Assume that the weather on any one day is independent of the weather on other days.

(i) Use a normal approximation to find the probability of there being fewer than 25 cloudy days in Scotland in November (30 days).

(ii) Give a reason why the use of a normal approximation is justified.

9709 P63 - Nov 2010 - Q7
3330

The times spent by people visiting a certain dentist are independent and normally distributed with a mean of 8.2 minutes. 79% of people who visit this dentist have visits lasting less than 10 minutes.

Find the probability that, of 35 randomly chosen people, fewer than 16 have visits lasting less than 8.2 minutes.

9709 P62 - Nov 2010 - Q6
3331

On any day, there is a probability of 0.3 that Julie’s train is late.

90 days are chosen at random. Find the probability that Julie’s train is late on more than 35 days or fewer than 27 days.

9709 P61 - Nov 2010 - Q2
3332

On average, 2 apples out of 15 are classified as being underweight. Find the probability that in a random sample of 200 apples, the number of apples which are underweight is more than 21 and less than 35.

9709 P61 - Jun 2010 - Q5
3333

In the holidays Martin spends 25% of the day playing computer games. Martin’s friend phones him once a day at a randomly chosen time.

(ii) Another holiday period lasts for 12 days. State with a reason whether it is appropriate to use a normal approximation to find the probability that there are fewer than 7 days on which Martin is playing computer games when his friend phones.

(iii) Find the probability that there are at least 13 days of a 40-day holiday period on which Martin is playing computer games when his friend phones.

9709 P61 - Nov 2009 - Q6
3334

A box contains 4 pears and 7 oranges. There are 121 similar boxes in a warehouse. One fruit is taken at random from each box.

Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that fewer than 39 are pears.

9709 P51 - Jun 2023 - Q6
3335

Eli has four fair 4-sided dice with sides labelled 1, 2, 3, 4. He throws all four dice at the same time. The random variable X denotes the number of 2s obtained.

(b) Complete the following probability distribution table for X.

x01234
P(X = x)\(\frac{81}{256}\)\(\frac{3}{64}\)\(\frac{1}{256}\)

Eli throws the four dice at the same time on 96 occasions.

(d) Use an approximation to find the probability that he obtains at least two 2s on fewer than 20 of these occasions.

9709 P6 - Jun 2009 - Q3
3336

On a certain road 20% of the vehicles are trucks, 16% are buses and the remainder are cars.

A random sample of 125 vehicles is now taken. Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that more than 73 are cars.

9709 P6 - Nov 2008 - Q2
3337

On a production line making toys, the probability of any toy being faulty is 0.08. A random sample of 200 toys is checked. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that there are at least 15 faulty toys.

9709 P6 - Jun 2008 - Q7
3338

A die is biased so that the probability of throwing a 5 is 0.75 and the probabilities of throwing a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 are all equal.

  1. The die is thrown three times. Find the probability that the result is a 1 followed by a 5 followed by any even number.
  2. The die is thrown 90 times. Using an appropriate approximation, find the probability that a 5 is thrown more than 60 times.
9709 P6 - Nov 2007 - Q6
3339

On any occasion when a particular gymnast performs a certain routine, the probability that she will perform it correctly is 0.65, independently of all other occasions.

On one day she performs the routine 50 times. Use a suitable approximation to estimate the probability that she will perform the routine correctly on fewer than 29 occasions.

9709 P6 - Jun 2007 - Q6
3340

The probability that New Year's Day is on a Saturday in a randomly chosen year is \(\frac{1}{7}\).

56 years are chosen randomly. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that more than 7 of these years have New Year's Day on a Saturday.

9709 P6 - Nov 2006 - Q7
3341

A manufacturer makes two sizes of elastic bands: large and small. 40% of the bands produced are large bands and 60% are small bands. An office pack contains 150 elastic bands.

Using a suitable approximation, calculate the probability that the number of small bands in the office pack is between 88 and 97 inclusive.

9709 P6 - Jun 2006 - Q7
3342

A survey of adults in a certain large town found that 76% of people wore a watch on their left wrist, 15% wore a watch on their right wrist and 9% did not wear a watch.

A random sample of 200 adults was taken. Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that more than 155 wore a watch on their left wrist.

9709 P6 - Nov 2005 - Q7
3343

In tests on a new type of light bulb it was found that the time they lasted followed a normal distribution with standard deviation 40.6 hours. 10% lasted longer than 5130 hours.

  1. Find the mean lifetime, giving your answer to the nearest hour.
  2. Find the probability that a light bulb fails to last for 5000 hours.
  3. A hospital buys 600 of these light bulbs. Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that fewer than 65 light bulbs will last longer than 5130 hours.
9709 P6 - Jun 2005 - Q1
3344

It is known that, on average, 2 people in 5 in a certain country are overweight. A random sample of 400 people is chosen. Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that fewer than 165 people in the sample are overweight.

9709 P6 - Nov 2004 - Q7
3345

In a certain village 28% of all cars are made by Ford.

A random sample of 50 cars in the village is taken. Estimate, using a normal approximation, the probability that more than 18 cars are made by Ford.

9709 P53 - Nov 2022 - Q2
3346

In a large college, 32% of the students have blue eyes. A random sample of 80 students is chosen.

Use an approximation to find the probability that fewer than 20 of these students have blue eyes. [5]

9709 P6 - Jun 2004 - Q7
3347

A shop sells old video tapes, of which 1 in 5 on average are known to be damaged.

A random sample of 1600 tapes is taken. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that there are at least 290 damaged tapes.

9709 P6 - Jun 2003 - Q4
3348

Kamal has 30 hens. The probability that any hen lays an egg on any day is 0.7. Hens do not lay more than one egg per day, and the days on which a hen lays an egg are independent.

  1. Calculate the probability that, on any particular day, Kamal’s hens lay exactly 24 eggs.
  2. Use a suitable approximation to calculate the probability that Kamal’s hens lay fewer than 20 eggs on any particular day.
9709 P6 - Nov 2002 - Q6
3349

(i) A manufacturer of biscuits produces 3 times as many cream ones as chocolate ones. Biscuits are chosen randomly and packed into boxes of 10. Find the probability that a box contains equal numbers of cream biscuits and chocolate biscuits.

(ii) A random sample of 8 boxes is taken. Find the probability that exactly 1 of them contains equal numbers of cream biscuits and chocolate biscuits.

(iii) A large box of randomly chosen biscuits contains 120 biscuits. Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that it contains fewer than 35 chocolate biscuits.

9709 P6 - Jun 2002 - Q7
3350

Another garden shop sells polyanthus plants in boxes of 100. The shop’s advertisement states that the probability of any polyanthus plant producing a pink flower is 0.3. Use a suitable approximation to find the probability that a box contains fewer than 35 plants which produce pink flowers.

9709 P52 - Nov 2022 - Q6
3351

At a company’s call centre, 90% of callers are connected immediately to a representative. A random sample of 80 callers is chosen.

(b) Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 69 of these callers are connected immediately. [5]

(c) Justify the use of your approximation in part (b). [1]

9709 P51 - Nov 2022 - Q2
3352

The residents of Persham were surveyed about the reliability of their internet service. 12% rated the service as ‘poor’, 36% rated it as ‘satisfactory’ and 52% rated it as ‘good’.

A random sample of 125 residents of Persham is now chosen.

Use an approximation to find the probability that more than 72 of these residents rate their internet service as good.

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