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10.2.5: Tech Lab 5

  • Page ID
    63696
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    Tech Lab 5 - Mean and Standard Deviation of a Discrete Probability Distribution 

    Purpose 

    In this technology lab we learn how to use Excel to find µ and σ (the mean and standard deviation) for a discrete probability distribution  

    Finding µ and σ for a discrete probability distribution 

    Excel doesn’t have built in functions for these, but it’s very useful in carrying out the calculations.  We will work on some examples in class, but here are two videos walking through the process: 

    Practice: 

    1. A hospital researcher is interested in the number of times the average post-op patient will ring the nurse during a 12-hour shift (X). Based on a random sample of 50 patients, the following probability distribution was estimated.  Use Excel to calculate the mean and standard deviation of this probability distribution  

     

    \(x\)

     

    \(P(x)\)

    0.08 

    0.16 

    0.32 

    0.28 

    0.12 

    0.04 

    (tip: you should get \(μ_X=2.32\) and \(σ_X=1.224\) ) 

    1. The NumberofHeads Excel file shows the probability of getting "x" number of heads, when flipping a coin 25 times. 

    1. Compute the mean and standard deviation of this probability distribution.  Explain what these values tell us about the random variable. 

    2. Calculate the mean plus and minus 2 times the standard deviation ( \(μ±2σ \) ) to identify unusually high and unusually low numbers of heads in 25 flips.  We’ve seen this calculation before - this is called the “range rule of thumb” since usually most values (somewhere around 95%) will fall within 2 standard deviations of the mean.  

    3. Would getting 18 heads in 25 flips be a surprising result based on the range in (b)? 


    10.2.5: Tech Lab 5 is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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