MHB Cdf, expectation, and variance of a random continuous variable

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The probability density function f(x) is defined as b[1-(4x/10-6/10)^2] for 1.5 < x < 4, with b calculated as 3/5 to ensure it is a valid density function. The cumulative distribution function F(x) is derived as (-4x^3/125 + 18x^2/125 + 48x/125 - 99/125). The expectation E[X] is found to be 2.4375, while the variance Var[X] is calculated as 0.3711. To find the probability that X is within one standard deviation from the mean, the integral of f(x) over the interval defined by E[X] ± σ[X] is necessary.
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Given the probability density function f(x) = b[1-(4x/10-6/10)^2] for 1.5 < x <4. and f(x) = 0 elsewhere.

1. What is the value of b such that f(x) becomes a valid density function

2. What is the cumulative distribution function F(x) of f(x)

3. What is the Expectation of X, E[X]

4. What is the Variance of X, Var[X]

5. What is the probability that X is within one standard deviation from the meanSo far, I've gotten b by integrating the function from 1.5 to 4 and setting it equal to 1, thus getting b = 3/5.
Plugging b into the function, I also integrated it from 1.5 to x, to get a cdf of (-4x^3/125 + 18x^2/125 + 48x/125 - 99/125)
To get the E[X], I integrated f(x) from 1.5 to 4 to get 2.4375
To solve for the variance i used the equation E[X^2] - E[X]^2 and got 0.3711

However, help would be appreciated for number 5 as I am not even sure where to start on that one.
 
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marcadams267 said:
Given the probability density function f(x) = b[1-(4x/10-6/10)^2] for 1.5 < x <4. and f(x) = 0 elsewhere.

1. What is the value of b such that f(x) becomes a valid density function

2. What is the cumulative distribution function F(x) of f(x)

3. What is the Expectation of X, E[X]

4. What is the Variance of X, Var[X]

5. What is the probability that X is within one standard deviation from the meanSo far, I've gotten b by integrating the function from 1.5 to 4 and setting it equal to 1, thus getting b = 3/5.
Plugging b into the function, I also integrated it from 1.5 to x, to get a cdf of (-4x^3/125 + 18x^2/125 + 48x/125 - 99/125)
To get the E[X], I integrated f(x) from 1.5 to 4 to get 2.4375
To solve for the variance i used the equation E[X^2] - E[X]^2 and got 0.3711

However, help would be appreciated for number 5 as I am not even sure where to start on that one.

Hi marcadams267, welcome to MHB!

The probability that $X$ is between two arbitrary values $a_1 \le a_2$ is:
$$P(a_1<X<a_2)=\int_{a_1}^{a_2}f(x)\,dx$$
The standard deviation $\sigma[X]$ is the square root of the variance:
$$\sigma[X]=\sqrt{\operatorname{Var}[X]}$$
So in this case:
$$P(\text{X is within one standard deviation from the mean}) \\= P(E[X]-\sigma[X]<X<E[X]+\sigma[X]) \\= \int_{E[X]-\sigma[X]}^{E[X]+\sigma[X]} f(x)\,dx$$
 
First trick I learned this one a long time ago and have used it to entertain and amuse young kids. Ask your friend to write down a three-digit number without showing it to you. Then ask him or her to rearrange the digits to form a new three-digit number. After that, write whichever is the larger number above the other number, and then subtract the smaller from the larger, making sure that you don't see any of the numbers. Then ask the young "victim" to tell you any two of the digits of the...

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