IHave no idea how to solve any os these.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a set of probability and statistics problems, including topics such as confidence intervals, sample means, uniform distributions, and Bernoulli random variables. Participants explore various approaches to solving these problems, with a focus on understanding the underlying concepts and calculations involved.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Post 1 presents several probability and statistics problems, asking for specific calculations related to confidence intervals and expected values.
  • Post 2 expresses concern about the original poster's lack of understanding, questioning their familiarity with basic concepts like normal and uniform distributions.
  • Post 3 analyzes the uniform distribution problem, detailing the calculation of probabilities for different sample pairs and the expected value of the sample mean.
  • Post 4 discusses the same uniform distribution problem but considers the scenario of sampling with replacement, arriving at a different expected value while noting that it does not match the provided answers.
  • Post 5 addresses a Bernoulli random variable problem, clarifying a potential typographical error in the question and explaining the calculation of probabilities for the sample mean.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the solutions to the problems presented. There are differing interpretations of the uniform distribution problem based on whether sampling is done with or without replacement. Additionally, there is a correction regarding the Bernoulli problem, but no agreement on the original poster's understanding of the material.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions regarding sampling methods (with or without replacement) are not explicitly stated in the original problems, leading to different interpretations and calculations. The discussion also highlights the importance of understanding the definitions and properties of various probability distributions.

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  1. It is intended to collect samples from a Normal population with a standard deviation of 9. For a confidence level of 80%, determine the amplitude of the confidence interval for the population average in the case of a sample of size 81. Pick one:a. 1,28
b. 1,92

c. 1,44

d. 2,30

2) A sample of 16 observations independent of a Normal (2, 4) is collected. If Xb is the sample mean, determine the probability P [Xb> 1]. Pick one:a. 95,45%

b. 50,00%

c. 97,73%

d. 84,13%

3) A random variable has a uniform distribution in the set {-2, 2, 3}. For a random sample of size 2, the sample mean is Xb = (X1 + X2) / 2. Determine hope E [Xb]. Pick one:

a. 4/3

b. -2/3

c. -1/3

d. 1

4) A sample of 36 observations from a Normal (mu, 9) was collected and provided a sample mean of 8. Build a 95% Confidence Interval for the population mean. Pick one:

a. (7,28 ; 8,72)

b. (7,1775 ; 8,8225

c. (7,02 ; 8,98)

d. (7,36 ; 8,64)

5) A Bernoulli random variable has a probability of success p = 0.50. Considering random samples of size 3, the sample mean is given by Xb = (X1 + X2 + X3) / 3. Determine the probability P [Xb! = 2/3]. Pick one:

a. 7/8

b. 5/8

c. 3/8

d. 3/4
 
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I find this very troubling. Where did you get these problems? They look like pretty standard homework for an introductory Probability and Statistics class. Are you taking such a class? But then you say "I have no idea how to solve any of these". Why don't you? If you are taking a class in "probability and statistics ", you should have learned what a "normal distribution", "uniform distribution", and "Bernoulli distribution" are!
 
I will take a look at the easiest of these,
3) A random variable has a uniform distribution in the set {-2, 2, 3}. For a random sample of size 2, the sample mean is Xb = (X1 + X2) / 2. Determine hope E [Xb].
Saying this is a "uniform distribution" means that each possible outcome has the same probability. And those probabilities must sum to 1. So P(-2)= 1/3, P(2)=1/3, P(3)=1/3.
Since are 3 possible outcomes a "random sample of size 2" (without replacement?) has 3*2= 6 possible outcomes: (-2, 2), (-2, 3), (2, -2), (2, 3), (3, -2), and (3, 2). And since we have the uniform distribution, each pair has probability 1/6 of happening.

But it is not the pairs we are concerned with. It is Xb, the average of the sample pairs. Those are (-2+ 2)/2= 0, (-2+ 3)/2= 1/2, (2+ -2)/2= 0, (2+ 3)/2= 5/2, (3+ -2)/2= 1/2, and (3+ 2)/2= 5/2. Each number, 0, 1/2, and 5/2 occurs twice so each has probability 1/6+ 1/6= 1/3. The expected value is 0(1/3)+ (1/2)(1/3)+ (5/2)(1/3)= 1/6+ 5/6= 1.
 
Interestingly, if you assume "with replacement" you get the same answer!
With replacement, there are 3*3= 9 possible pairs, (-2, -2), (-2, 2) ,(-2, 3), (2, -2), (2, 2), (2, 3), (3, -2), (3, 2), and (3, 3) (those are the previous 6 pairs with the three new pairs, (-2, -2), (2, 2), and (3, 3)).

The average of each is
(-2+ -2)/2= -2
(-2+ 2)/2= 0
(-2+ 3)/2= 1/2
(2+ -2)/2= 0
(2+ 2)/2= 2
(2+ 3)/2= 5/2
(3+ -2)/2= 1/2
(3+ 2)/2= 5/2
(3+ 3)/2= 3

Again we have 0, 1/2, and 5/2 appearing twice each so each with probability 2/9 but now we also have -2, 2, and 3, each appearing once each so with probability 1/9 (and 2/9+ 2/9+ 2/9+ 1/9+ 1/9+ 1/9= 9/9= 1).

So the expected value is (0)(2/9)+ (1/2)(2/9)+ (5/2)(2/9)+ -2(1/9)+ 2(1/9)+ 3(1/9)=
4/18+ 2/18+ 10/18- 4/18+ 4/18+ 6/18= 22/18= 11/9.

But that is NOT one of the possible answer so apparently this intended "sampling without replacement".
 
5) A Bernoulli random variable has a probability of success p = 0.50. Considering random samples of size 3, the sample mean is given by Xb = (X1 + X2 + X3) / 3. Determine the probability P [Xb! = 2/3].

The other "easy one" (i.e. not "normal distribution"!).
I take it that Xb! = 2/3 should have been Xb != 2/3- that Xb is NOT equal to 2/3.

A Bernoulli distribution (also called a "binomial distribution" has only two possible outcomes: 1 ("success") and 0 ("failure"). Here success has probability p= 1/2= 0.50 and failure has probability q= 1- p= 1- 1/2= 1/2= 0.5. In N trials, the probability of a "successes" and N- a "failures" is $\begin{pmatrix}N \\ a \end{pmatrix}p^aq^{N-a}$ where $\begin{pmatrix}N \\ a \end{pmatrix}$ is the "binomial coefficient" $\frac{N!}{a! (N-a)!}$.

Here, since there are 3 random variables, each with 2 possible outcomes there are $2^3= 8$ total outcomes:
(0, 0, 0), (0, 0, 1), (0, 1, 0), (0, 1, 1)
(1, 0, 0), (1, 0, 1), (1, 1, 0), (1, 1, 1)
(0, 0, 0) has probability $q^3= 1/8= 0.125$. It has average (0+ 0+ 0)/3= 0.
(0, 0, 1), (0, 1, 0), and (1, 0, 0) each have probability $pq^2$ which is also 1/8 since p and q are both 1/2. Each of these has average (1+ 0+ 0)/3= 1/3.

(0, 1, 1), (1, 0, 1), and (1, 1, 0) each have probability $p^2q$ which is also 1/8.
Each of those has average (1+ 1+ 0)/3= 2/3.

And (1, 1, 1) has probability $p^3= 1/8$.
It has average (1+ 1+ 1)/3= 1.

The question asked for the probability that the average of the sample was 2/3. That is precisely the three possible outcomes (0, 1, 1), (1, 0, 1), and (1, 1, 0) each or which had probability 1/8. Therefore the probability that "(X1+ X2+ X3)/3 is 2/3" is 3/8.

(More generally the probability that (X1+ X2+ X3)/3 is 0 is 1/8, the probability it is 1/3 is 3/8, the probability it is 2/3 is 3/8, and the probability it is 1 is 1/8. Those are the only possible outcomes and 1/8+ 3/8+ 3/8+ 1/8= 8/8= 1.)
 
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