Answer:
0.1587 = 15.87% probability that the average fracture strength of 100 randomly selected pieces of this glass exceeds 14.2.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this question, we need to understand the normal probability distribution and the central limit theorem.
Normal Probability Distribution:
Problems of normal distributions can be solved using the z-score formula.
In a set with mean
and standard deviation
, the z-score of a measure X is given by:
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7B%5Csigma%7D)
The Z-score measures how many standard deviations the measure is from the mean. After finding the Z-score, we look at the z-score table and find the p-value associated with this z-score. This p-value is the probability that the value of the measure is smaller than X, that is, the percentile of X. Subtracting 1 by the p-value, we get the probability that the value of the measure is greater than X.
Central Limit Theorem
The Central Limit Theorem establishes that, for a normally distributed random variable X, with mean
and standard deviation
, the sampling distribution of the sample means with size n can be approximated to a normal distribution with mean
and standard deviation
.
For a skewed variable, the Central Limit Theorem can also be applied, as long as n is at least 30.
The fracture strength of tempered glass averages 14 (measured in thousands of pounds per square inch) and has standard deviation 2.
This means that ![\mu = 14, \sigma = 2](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=%5Cmu%20%3D%2014%2C%20%5Csigma%20%3D%202)
Sample of 100:
This means that ![n = 100, s = \frac{2}{\sqrt{100}} = 0.2](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=n%20%3D%20100%2C%20s%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B2%7D%7B%5Csqrt%7B100%7D%7D%20%3D%200.2)
What is the probability that the average fracture strength of 100 randomly selected pieces of this glass exceeds 14.2?
This is 1 subtracted by the p-value of Z when X = 14.2. So
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7B%5Csigma%7D)
By the Central Limit Theorem
![Z = \frac{X - \mu}{s}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7BX%20-%20%5Cmu%7D%7Bs%7D)
![Z = \frac{14.2 - 14}{0.2}](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%20%5Cfrac%7B14.2%20-%2014%7D%7B0.2%7D)
![Z = 1](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=Z%20%3D%201)
has a p-value of 0.8413.
1 - 0.8413 = 0.1587
0.1587 = 15.87% probability that the average fracture strength of 100 randomly selected pieces of this glass exceeds 14.2.