Question

The number of cars entering a roadway at a specific exit during the morning rush hour traffic (6AM to 9AM, M-F) is a random variable with an average of 6 cars per minute. What is the probability the number of cars entering the roadway is between 4 and 6 cars per minute (inclusive)?

Answer 1

0.5

Explanation:

This is an example of mutually exclusive event in which two or more events cannot occur at the same time or in a single performance.

Therefore, the probability the number of cars entering the roadway is between 4 and 6 cars per minute (inclusive) implies that it is either 4, 5 or 6 cars enter in a minute. Since we have an average of 6 cars per minute, the probability of each of the event occurring is 1/6. This can therefore be calculated as follows:

P(4 or 5 or 6) = (1/6) + (1/6) + (1/6)

= 3/6

= 1/2

= 0.5

Therefore, the probability the number of cars entering the roadway is between 4 and 6 cars per minute (inclusive) is 0.5.