Final answer:
To determine the probability that a cup contains less than 8.8 ounces, we calculate the z-score and use the standard normal distribution, resulting in approximately a 94.52% chance.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the probability that a cup contains less than 8.8 ounces, when the machine discharges an average of 8 ounces with a standard deviation of 0.5 ounce, we will use the properties of the normal distribution. First, we calculate the z-score for 8.8 ounces using the formula:
Z = (X - μ) / σ
where X is the value in question (8.8 ounces), μ is the mean (8 ounces), and σ is the standard deviation (0.5 ounces). Plugging the values we get:
Z = (8.8 - 8) / 0.5
Z = 1.6
Next, we look up the z-score of 1.6 in a standard normal distribution table or use a calculator to find the cumulative probability.
The probability corresponding to a z-score of 1.6 is approximately 0.9452.
This means there is about a 94.52% chance that a cup contains less than 8.8 ounces.