MHB Probabilities about length of songs

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The discussion revolves around calculating probabilities related to song lengths from a playlist of 2000 songs, with an average length of 3.5 minutes and a standard deviation of 1.7 minutes. Participants confirm the use of the central limit theorem to approximate the distribution of sample means and discuss specific calculations for probabilities: the likelihood of a song being longer than 4.5 minutes, the average length of a sample of 100 songs being at least 4 minutes, and the total length of 200 songs being at most 700 minutes. The calculations for the second and third probabilities are validated, with a noted correction regarding the interpretation of the third probability. The conversation emphasizes the importance of correctly defining random variables and their distributions in probability calculations.
mathmari
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Hey! :o

We have a playlist with $2000$ songs. The length of the songs on the playlist are on average $3.5$ minutes (i.e. $3$ minutes and $30$ seconds) with a standard deviation of $1.7$ minutes.

1) Can we find the probability that a randomly chosen song is longer than $4.5$ minutes?

2) Can we findthe probability that a random selection of $100$ songs lasts on average at least $4$ minutes?

3) Can we find the probability that a random selection of $200$ songs lasts in total at most $700$ minutes?

I have done the following:

Let $X_i$ be the RV that describes the length of the $i$-th song.

$\overline{X}_n=\frac{1}{n}(X_1+X_2+\ldots +X_n)$ is the mean.

$\overline{X}_n$ approximates, according the central limit theorem, a normal distribution with parameters $E(\overline{X}_n)=3.5$ and $V(\overline{X}_n)=\frac{\sigma_X^2}{n}=\frac{1.7^2}{n}=\frac{2.89}{n}$. Is this correct?

How could we find the probability at 1) ? (Wondering) At 2) we want to calculate the probability $P(\overline{X}\geq 4)$ with $n=100$ right?

If this is correct, we have that $$P(\overline{X}\geq 4)=1-P(\overline{X}< 4)=1-\Phi \left (\frac{4-3.5}{\frac{1.7}{\sqrt{100}}}\right )\approx 1-\Phi (2.94)=1-0.9984=0.0016$$

Is everything correct? (Wondering) At 3) we define a new RV $Z:=n\cdot \overline{X}_n$ which describes the sum of lengths of $n$ songs.

For $n=200$ we have that $E(Z)=E(200\overline{X}_{200})=200\cdot E(\overline{X}_{200})=200\cdot 3.5=700$ and $V(Z)=V(200\overline{X}_{200})=200^2\cdot V(\overline{X}_{200})=200^2\cdot \frac{2.89}{200}=578$

Then $$P(Z\geq 700)=\Phi \left (\frac{700-700}{\sqrt{578}}\right )=\Phi (0)=0.5$$

Is this correct? (Wondering)
 
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mathmari said:
How could we find the probability at 1) ?

Hey mathmari!

Doesn't one randomly chosen song have distribution $X\sim N(3.5, 1.7)$? (Wondering)
Then we need to find $P(X>4.5)$.

mathmari said:
At 2) we want to calculate the probability $P(\overline{X}\geq 4)$ with $n=100$ right?

If this is correct, we have that $$P(\overline{X}\geq 4)=1-P(\overline{X}< 4)=1-\Phi \left (\frac{4-3.5}{\frac{1.7}{\sqrt{100}}}\right )\approx 1-\Phi (2.94)=1-0.9984=0.0016$$

Looks fine to me. (Nod)

mathmari said:
At 3) we define a new RV $Z:=n\cdot \overline{X}_n$ which describes the sum of lengths of $n$ songs.

For $n=200$ we have that $E(Z)=E(200\overline{X}_{200})=200\cdot E(\overline{X}_{200})=200\cdot 3.5=700$ and $V(Z)=V(200\overline{X}_{200})=200^2\cdot V(\overline{X}_{200})=200^2\cdot \frac{2.89}{200}=578$

Then $$P(Z\geq 700)=\Phi \left (\frac{700-700}{\sqrt{578}}\right )=\Phi (0)=0.5$$

Shouldn't that be $P(Z \le 700)$? (Wondering)
Otherwise it looks fine to me.

Btw, we could also define $Z=X_1+...+X_{100}$, so that $EZ = 100\cdot EX_i$ and $\sigma^2(Z) = 100^2\cdot \sigma^2(X_i)$.
No need to introduce $\overline X$. (Nerd)
 
There is a nice little variation of the problem. The host says, after you have chosen the door, that you can change your guess, but to sweeten the deal, he says you can choose the two other doors, if you wish. This proposition is a no brainer, however before you are quick enough to accept it, the host opens one of the two doors and it is empty. In this version you really want to change your pick, but at the same time ask yourself is the host impartial and does that change anything. The host...

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