A Couple of Probability & Statistics Questions

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around understanding a probability and statistics homework problem involving a dataset with two variables, W and P. The first question seeks clarification on the meaning of summation notation and subscripts in the equation V = (Σ Wi * Pi) / (Σ Pi). Participants explain that the summation indicates the process of multiplying corresponding values of W and P, then summing those products. The second question addresses calculating the probability of a fifth scenario given the probabilities of four others, concluding that the fifth scenario's probability is 27%. Overall, the thread emphasizes the importance of understanding summation notation and basic probability principles.
havinnoj
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Homework Statement


I have a table with a data set #, and 2 variables (W and P) with values in the table.



Homework Equations


The equation (which I don't know what it means) says V= (summation with n on top and i=1 below Wi X Pi)/(summation with n on top and i=1 on bottom X Pi)


The Attempt at a Solution



What are the summations meaning and what do the subscript "i"'s mean?
 
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Questions 2 is "You are reviewing a business decision where you have calculated the profit for 5 possible business scenarios. If the probabilities of occurrence for four of the scenarios are 12%, 10%, 21%, and 30% respectively; what is the percent probability of occurence for the fifth scenario.

Does this question even make sense?
 
havinnoj said:
Questions 2 is "You are reviewing a business decision where you have calculated the profit for 5 possible business scenarios. If the probabilities of occurrence for four of the scenarios are 12%, 10%, 21%, and 30% respectively; what is the percent probability of occurence for the fifth scenario.
Does this question even make sense?

I read that as "there are exactly 5 possible scenarios". In a valid probability-model, what do you know about the sum of all possible probabilities?

k
 
kenewbie said:
I read that as "there are exactly 5 possible scenarios". In a valid probability-model, what do you know about the sum of all possible probabilities?

k

27%. I love when they are easier than you think! Thank you!

Anybody have an idea about the first one?
 
havinnoj said:

Homework Statement


I have a table with a data set #, and 2 variables (W and P) with values in the table.

Homework Equations


The equation (which I don't know what it means) says V= (summation with n on top and i=1 below Wi X Pi)/(summation with n on top and i=1 on bottom X Pi)

The Attempt at a Solution



What are the summations meaning and what do the subscript "i"'s mean?

What is X? Should that just be Pi?

Anyway, the top summation means that you are starting from the "i=1" data point (i.e. the first W and P), multiplying W and P, then doing the same for the second data points (i=2) all the way up to the n'th W and P, and then adding them all up.

In general,

\sum _{i=a} ^{n} f(i) = f(a) + f(a+1) + f(a+2) + ... + f(n)

So it just means that you start with i=a, and plug it into the function f(i). Then continuously increase 'i' by integer steps until you get to i=n, each time plugging it into the function f(i). Then simply add each f(i) that you calculated along the way.

So in your cases:

\sum _{i=1} ^{n} W_i P_i = W_1P_1+W_2P_2+...+W_nP_n

\sum _{i=1} ^{n} P_i = P_1+P_2+...+P_n
 
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Awesome! Thank you!
 
I picked up this problem from the Schaum's series book titled "College Mathematics" by Ayres/Schmidt. It is a solved problem in the book. But what surprised me was that the solution to this problem was given in one line without any explanation. I could, therefore, not understand how the given one-line solution was reached. The one-line solution in the book says: The equation is ##x \cos{\omega} +y \sin{\omega} - 5 = 0##, ##\omega## being the parameter. From my side, the only thing I could...

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