Q285 · Practice questionTechnology-freeComplex familiar6 marks
QUESTION 285 (6 marks)
Let be the standard normal cumulative distribution function. A normal population X has unknown mean and standard deviation . It is known that and .
a)[3 marks]
Determine and .
b)[3 marks]
A sample mean from n independent observations satisfies . Determine n and explain why its distribution is exactly normal.
WORKED SOLUTION
6 marksPractice marking scheme
ANSWER
(a) , . (b) ; averages of independent normal observations are normal.
Worked solution
(a) Strict monotonicity of gives and . Thus and . Adding gives , then .
(b) The standard deviation of the mean is . The condition gives , so and . Normality follows from the normal population and independence, not from a large-sample approximation.
Equivalent justified methods accepted; respect any requested proof method.
Exact values unless specified. Sketches assessed by mathematical features, not artistic quality.
Part a: Standardise both individual-value conditions.
Part a: Solve the simultaneous equations for the mean.
Part a: Calculate the positive standard deviation.
Part b: Use for the sample-mean spread.
Part b: Solve n=16.
Part b: Explain exact normality for a normal population.
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