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Worked solution

Distinguish finite sampling from independent-person conditioning

(a) Mrs Wang bakes 15 chocolate and 25 blueberry cupcakes, then gives away 8 chosen at random. Find the probability exactly 3 are chocolate. marks

(b) In a seasonal-flu exercise, the probability a person receives a flu vaccine is 0.85. The probability of flu is 0.23 given vaccination and 0.91 given no vaccination. Find the probability that

(i) a person gets flu, marks

(ii) of two randomly chosen people who got flu, exactly one received the vaccine. marks

[2014/NJC/II/9]

CJC · Review problems · Question 14

Answer

(a) 0.314; (b)(i) 0.332=83/2500.332=83/250; (ii) 0.484 (rounded values 3 s.f.).

(a) Source method 1: unordered selections

Choose three chocolate and five blueberry cupcakes from the finite inventory, without replacement: P=(153)(255)/(408)≈0.314P=\binom{15}3\binom{25}5/\binom{40}8\approx0.314 (3 s.f.).

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(a) Source method 2: one order, then its colour arrangements

For the order CCCBBBBB, multiply the changing counts, then multiply by the 8!/(3!5!)8!/(3!5!) colour orders:

154014391338253724362335223421338!3!5!≈0.314(3 s.f.).\frac{15}{40}\frac{14}{39}\frac{13}{38}\frac{25}{37}\frac{24}{36}\frac{23}{35}\frac{22}{34}\frac{21}{33}\frac{8!}{3!5!}\approx0.314\quad(3\text{ s.f.}).

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(b)(i) Total probability on the source tree

Vaccinated/unvaccinated probabilities are 0.85/0.15. The flu/no-flu branches are 0.23/0.77 and 0.91/0.09; the no-flu complements fill the unlabelled source branches. Hence P(F)=(0.85)(0.23)+(0.15)(0.91)=0.332=83/250P(F)=(0.85)(0.23)+(0.15)(0.91)=0.332=83/250.

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(b)(ii) Condition both people on flu

Using the source’s independent-person model, exactly one vaccinated flu case can occur in two orders. Therefore

P(exactly one vaccinated∣both flu)=(0.85)(0.23)(0.91)(0.15) 2!(0.332)2≈0.484(3 s.f.).P(\text{exactly one vaccinated}\mid\text{both flu})=\frac{(0.85)(0.23)(0.91)(0.15)\,2!}{(0.332)^2}\approx0.484\quad(3\text{ s.f.}).

The denominator restricts both people to the flu population; it is not the unconditional vaccination probability.

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Vaccine probability 0.85, No vaccine probability 0.15. Given Vaccine: Flu 0.23, No flu 0.77. Given No vaccine: Flu 0.91, No flu 0.09. All source branches retained.
Vaccine probability 0.85, No vaccine probability 0.15. Given Vaccine: Flu 0.23, No flu 0.77. Given No vaccine: Flu 0.91, No flu 0.09. All source branches retained.
Vaccine probability 0.85, No vaccine probability 0.15. Given Vaccine: Flu 0.23, No flu 0.77. Given No vaccine: Flu 0.91, No flu 0.09. All source branches retained.

Common mistakes

Exactly one vaccinated among two flu cases is a conditional question;0.85 is not the vaccinated proportion among flu cases.

Solution notes

All source asks, both cupcake methods with every sequential factor, full tree relationships, total-probability fraction/decimal and two-person quotient retained. Unlabelled tree complements 0.77/0.09 are explicitly completed. Source person-independence model is stated.

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