Question

8. Determine whether the following sequence of trials would result in a binomial probability distribution. (a) Calling 500 people and ask if they voted for a particular candidate in a given election. (b) The National Health Institute checks 100 people who had a certain type of cancer in the year 2000 and records whether they are alive or not.

Answer 1

a) This results in a binomial distribution because:

There are only two possible outcomes (yes or no).

The trials are independent.

There are a fixed number of trials.

The probability of success remains the same for each call.

Answer a: this will result in a binomial distribution.

b) This does result in a binomial distribution:

There is a fixed number of trials.

It has only two outcomes.

The trials are independent.

The probability of success remains the same for each trial.

Answer b: this will result in a binomial distribution