Let’s Get Wiggly

A random variable is the value x takes on in a given experiment or observation is a

chance or random outcome. A discrete random variable is a variable that can take on only a
finite number of values or a countable number of values, such as the number of babies born in a
month. A continuous random variable is a variable that can take on any of the countless number
of values in a line interval, such as a person’s age or height. Probability distribution is an
assignment of probabilities to each distinct value of a discrete random variable or to each
interval of values of a continuous random. There are two key components of probability
distribution. The first is that it has a probability assigned to each distinct value of the random
sample. The second is that the sum of all assigned probabilities must be 1. The mean is the
average of the probabilities, and the standard deviation is the extent of deviation for a group as
a whole. To find the mean, or𝜇, you use the equation 𝜇=𝛴xP(x). To find the standard deviation,
you use the formula 𝜎= √𝛴(x-𝜇)＾P(x) - 𝜎. The mean of a probability distribution is called the
expected value of the distribution.
A binomial experiment is an event where only two outcomes are possible. There is a
fixed number of trials and each result is independent. These trials are also repeated under
identical conditions. The probability of success or failure is the same for each trial, and the goal
is to find the probability of success out of a certain number of trials. N, p, q, and r are variables
in a binomial experiment. N can be represented by the number of trials in an experiment, p is
the probability of success in the trial, q is the probability of failure There are a few different
ways to compute a binomial probability. The complex formula for this calculation is as follows:
P(r)= n!/r!(n-r)! X 𝑃𝑟 𝑞 𝑛−𝑟 = Cn,r 𝑃𝑟 𝑞 𝑛−𝑟 Where n represents the number of trials in an
experiment, p is the probability of success, q is the probability of failure in an experiment, and r
is the number of successes in the experiment. Using the calculator and the formula, one can
find the probability of success in a binomial experiment. There is an easier way, though. Using
the table in the back of the book, you match up the values and can discover the probability
distribution without having to use the formula. It is not a guarantee, because not every number
of trial options is available on the table. The mean of a binomial distribution is the average of the
data set, and the standard deviation of a binomial distribution is how the numbers stray away
from the mean. The way to calculate the mean is to take the number of trials and multiply it by
the number of successes. Or n X p. To calculate the standard deviation, you take the square
root of the product of the number of trials, times the number of successes, times the number of
failures. This can be shown as √𝑛𝑝𝑞

15% of people can wiggle their ears. In a class of 20 statistics students, what is the
probability that none of them can wiggle their ears? What is the probability that at least 8
can wiggle their ears?

This scenario meets the criteria of a binomial experiment because it has a fixed number
of trials (n=20), the trials are independent and repeated under identical conditions, each trial has
only two outcomes (S= they can wiggle their ears, F=they can’t), the probability of success for
each trial is the same (p=0.15 q=0.85), the the central problem of the experiment is to find the
probability of r success out of n trials.
To find the probability that nobody could wiggle their ears in the statistics class is 0.039.
This number indicates that the probability someone in the 20 stats students can wiggle their
ears is only 3.9%. We found this by using a random number table with our p=.15 and n=20.
Using the same method, we found that the probability that at least eight students could wiggle
their ears
≥0.005. This number tells us that the chances of eight or more people wiggling their ears in the
stats class is a mere half percent, or .5%. This number tells us that it is very unlikely that eight
or more people can wiggle their ears in the statistics class. We chose this method because it
was the easiest and the quickest method rather than plugging multiple equations into a
calculator.