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3.6 Approximating a Binomial Distribution

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Question 4

A marine biologist investigating microplastic pollution in a specific coastal region finds that historically, 15% of 1-litre water samples contain at least one microplastic particle. A box contains 20 of these 1-litre samples, which are collected independently.

a.

Determine the probability that in a single box: (i) more than 1 but fewer than 5 samples contain microplastics, (ii) at least 18 samples are found to be free of microplastics.

[4]
b.

A researcher collects 8 such boxes for a preliminary survey.

Calculate the probability that exactly 7 of these 8 boxes contain at least 18 samples that are free of microplastics.

[2]
c.

Environmentalists suspect that due to increased industrial runoff, the true proportion, ppp, of contaminated samples is now higher than 15%.

State the null and alternative hypotheses required to test this suspicion.

[1]
d.

The research group subsequently tests a large random sample of 120 1-litre water samples and finds that 25 of them contain microplastics.

Using a suitable approximation, perform the hypothesis test at the 5% level of significance. State your conclusion in context.

[4]
Markscheme

3.6 Approximating a Binomial Distribution Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Maths
  3. /3.6 Approximating a Binomial Distribution

67 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Maths 3.6 Approximating a Binomial Distribution. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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