Home / IB Mathematics SL 4.7 Concept of discrete random variables AI SL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions

IB Mathematics SL 4.7 Concept of discrete random variables AI SL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions - New Syllabus

 Question

Based on the official schedule, the nightly rail service from Cardiff is set to reach London at $18:00$. Historical data indicates that actual arrival times follow a normal distribution, centered at a mean of $18:20$ with a standard deviation of $10$ minutes.
Let the random variable $X$ represent the delay in minutes (the number of minutes past the scheduled time of $18:00$ that the train arrives).
(a) State:
(i) the mean value of $X$.
(ii) the variance of $X$.
(b) Determine the probability that the nightly train reaches London between $15$ and $25$ minutes behind schedule.
A regulatory fine is imposed on the rail operator if a train is delayed by more than $30$ minutes.
(c) Find the expected number of days in a standard $365$-day year that the operator would be required to pay this fine.
Janine travels on this service and must transfer to a connecting train in London. She estimates it takes $10$ minutes to transition between platforms. She insists on a minimum $99\%$ confidence level (probability) of successfully reaching the platform before her connecting train departs.
(d) Calculate the earliest possible departure time for the connecting train, to the nearest minute, that satisfies Janine’s requirement.
An analyst, David, monitors the punctuality of the service over a $7$-day period. Assume that the arrival times for each day are independent.
(e) Find the probability that the train is delayed (arrives after $18:00$):
(i) on the very first day of David’s observations.
(ii) on exactly $5$ out of the $7$ observed days.
(iii) on at least $5$ consecutive days during this week.

Most-appropriate topic codes (IB Mathematics AI SL 2025):

SL 4.9: The normal distribution — part (a), (b)
SL 4.7: Expected value of discrete random variables — part (c)
SL 4.9: Inverse normal calculations — part (d)
SL 4.8: Binomial distribution models — part (e)
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Detailed solution

(a)
(i) Scheduled $18:00$, Mean Arrival $18:20$. Mean delay $\mu = \mathbf{20}$ minutes.
(ii) Standard deviation $\sigma = 10$. Variance $\sigma^2 = 10^2 = \mathbf{100}$.

(b)
Using Normal CDF on a GDC with Lower bound $= 15$, Upper bound $= 25$, $\mu = 20, \sigma = 10$:
$P(15 \le X \le 25) \approx \mathbf{0.383}$ (to 3 sig figs).

(c)
Probability of a fine: $P(X > 30)$. Using Normal CDF (Lower $= 30$, Upper $= \infty$): $P \approx 0.158655$.
Expected days $= 0.158655 \times 365 \approx 57.909$.
$57.9$ days (or $58$ days).

(d)
Janine needs $P(\text{Arrival Delay} + 10 \le \text{Departure Delay}) \ge 0.99$.
Let $k$ be the delay such that $P(X \le k) = 0.99$.
Using Inverse Normal (Area $= 0.99, \mu = 20, \sigma = 10$): $k \approx 43.26$ minutes.
Total time needed from $18:00$ is $k + 10 = 43.26 + 10 = 53.26$ minutes.
Time is $18:00 + 53.26$ mins $\approx 18:53:15$.
To ensure at least $99\%$, the train must depart at or after this. To the nearest minute: $18:54$.

(e)
(i) “Delayed” means $X > 0$. $P(X > 0)$ with $\mu = 20, \sigma = 10$:
$P = \mathbf{0.977}$ (0.97725…).
(ii) Let $Y \sim B(7, 0.97725)$.
$P(Y = 5) = \binom{7}{5}(0.97725)^5(1 – 0.97725)^2 \approx \mathbf{0.00969}$.
(iii) For at least $5$ consecutive days, we sum the probabilities of the following patterns (where $L$ is Late and $N$ is Not Late):
$5$ consecutive: $LLLLLNN$, $NLLLLLN$, $NNLLLLL$ (3 cases)
$6$ consecutive: $LLLLLLN$, $NLLLLLL$ (2 cases)
$7$ consecutive: $LLLLLLL$ (1 case)
Let $p = 0.97725$ and $q = 0.02275$.
$P = (p^7) + 2(p^6 q) + 3(p^5 q^2) \approx \mathbf{0.892}$.

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