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Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 92, No. 4, April 1999, p. 307

PT: Joint Probability, Binomial Distribution

RW: Printer Components

The Acme Printer Company manufactures a laser printer made from 298 individual components.  The printers were designed so that the failure of any part would not affect the performance of any other part.  The warranty on the printers is one year, and the company desires to reduce the rate of failure within the warranty period of the printers to 1%.  Subsequently, the Acme Printer Company discovers that 95% of its printers do not work.  The president of the company feels that the suppliers have been dishonest and wants the suppliers to be displaced.  You are a lawyer and a mathematician who must show the president that the suppliers you represent are honest.  Using what you know of probability how might you do this? 

(Hint:  Use joint probability and possibly binomial distribution)


Brown Pre-calculus, p. 603

PT: Joint probability

RW: Senate / US government

Suppose that a member of the U.S. Senate and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives are randomly chosen to be photographed with the President.

a) Explain how 1/50 could be the probability that the senator is from Iowa. 

b) Explain how 1/50 could not be the probability that the representative is from Iowa.

a)   Find the joint probability using the exact data from the current year.


Key to Problem Bank:

M: Misconception PT: Probability Topic RW: Real World Topic