Final answer:
The probability of a pregnancy lasting 309 days or longer is approximately 0.0031. The length that separates premature babies from those who are not premature is approximately 240.25 days.
Step-by-step explanation:
a. To find the probability of a pregnancy lasting 309 days or longer, we need to find the area under the normal distribution curve to the right of 309. First, we need to calculate the z-score using the formula z = (x - μ) / σ, where x is the value we are interested in, μ is the mean, and σ is the standard deviation. In this case, x = 309, μ = 268, and σ = 15. Plugging in these values, we get z = (309 - 268) / 15 ≈ 2.73. Now we can use a standard normal distribution table or a calculator to find the probability associated with a z-score of 2.73. Looking up the z-score in the table, we find that the probability is approximately 0.0031.
b. To find the length that separates premature babies from those who are not premature, we need to find the z-score corresponding to the lowest 4%. We can use a standard normal distribution table or a calculator to find the z-score associated with a cumulative probability of 0.04. Looking up the cumulative probability in the table, we find that the z-score is approximately -1.75. Now we can use the formula z = (x - μ) / σ to solve for x. Rearranging the formula, we get x = μ + z * σ. Plugging in the values, we get x = 268 + (-1.75) * 15 ≈ 240.25. So the length that separates premature babies from those who are not premature is approximately 240.25 days.