Solving Probability Problem Involving Poisson Process

In summary, the conversation discusses a probability problem involving a company that produces plastic panels for automobiles. The number of flaws on a panel follows a Poisson process with a mean of 0.03 flaws per panel. The conversation includes solutions for finding the probability of panels with no flaws and the expected number of panels to be sampled before flaws are found. The conversation also mentions another problem involving a company that rents time on a computer and the expected profit based on the number of times the computer breaks down. The solution for maximizing expected profit involves finding the optimal value for the number of hours, t.
  • #1
brad sue
281
0
Hi,
I have This probability problem and I don't know how to do it:

A company makes plastic panel used in automobiles. The panel production process is such thast the number of flaws on a panel follows a Poisson process with a mean of 0.03 flaws per panel.

1- If one panel is randomly selected from the production process, what is the probability it has no flaws.
My solution:
lambda=0.03*1=0.03
f(0,0.03)=(e^(-0.03)*(0.03)^0)/(0!)


2- if 50 panesl is randomly sampled from the production process, what is the probability it has no flaws.
No solution here. I am not sure but it is the same as above but with lambda=0.03*50??

3- What is the expected number of panels that need to be sampled before flaws are found?
No solution indeed!

Please can I have some help with this problem?
B.
 
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  • #2
2. Yes, you are right. lambda can be replaced with (n*p), where n is the # of trials, and p is the probability. Since you increase your trials to 50, np = 50*p.

3. expected number is summation(x*Poisson). Also, you can think of expected number as the number of trials you need to 'expect' your first flaw. Since you have a 3% chance of expecting a flaw in any given panel, independent of any other panel, you can 'expect' to see a flaw on your 34th panel you sample...yea?
 
  • #3
thank you,
But what is, in the expected number formula ,the value of lambda?(if we want to use the formula)
 
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  • #4
lambda can be anything, as long as you define it correctly. Let's use your lambda = .03, where lambda is the number of flaws in anyone panel.

If you do the expected number summation I gave you above, I think you will get exactly 'lambda' as your answer. Since you want to know when there will be '1' flaw (and not .03 flaws), you will have to multiply .03 by a number 'n', until you get (.03*n) = 1. 'n' happens to be 33.3333..., which will round up to 34 panels, before you see 1 flaw. Hope that answer works.
 
  • #5
OK
thank you mkkrnfoo85!

I have another problem and would like to have some help please.

A company rents time on a computer for periods of t hours, for which it receives $600 an hour. The number of times the computer breaks down during t hours is a random variable having the Poisson distribution with lambda=(.8)t, and if the computer breaks down x times during t hours, it costs 50x^2 dollars to fix it.

-How should the company select t in order to maximize its expected profit?
I don't know how to compute the expected profit here so that I can use the equation to find t.

Do you have any idea?
 
Last edited:

Related to Solving Probability Problem Involving Poisson Process

1. What is a Poisson process?

A Poisson process is a mathematical concept used to model events that occur randomly over time or space. It is often used to analyze the frequency of rare events, such as the number of customers arriving at a store or the number of accidents on a highway.

2. How is the Poisson process used in probability problems?

The Poisson process is used to calculate the probability of a certain number of events occurring within a specific time or space interval. It helps to determine the likelihood of a rare event happening, given a known average rate of occurrence.

3. What is the formula for calculating probabilities in a Poisson process?

The formula for calculating probabilities in a Poisson process is P(X = k) = (λ^k * e^-λ) / k!, where λ is the average rate of occurrence and k is the desired number of events.

4. Can the Poisson process be applied to real-world situations?

Yes, the Poisson process is commonly used in real-world situations to analyze and predict rare events. It is used in various fields such as finance, insurance, and engineering to make informed decisions based on the frequency of certain events.

5. Are there any limitations to using the Poisson process in probability problems?

While the Poisson process is a useful tool for analyzing rare events, it does have some limitations. It assumes that events occur independently of each other and at a constant rate, which may not always be the case in real-world situations. Additionally, it is not suitable for predicting events that occur in clusters or groups.

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