6.32 Bacteria on a Petri Dish. A petri dish is a small, shallow dish of thin glass or plastic, used especially for cultures in bacteriology. A 2 -inch-radius petri dish, containing nutrients upon which bacteria can multiply, is smeared with a uniform suspension of bacteria. Subsequently. spots indicating colonies of bacteria appear. The distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish is a variable with density curve y=x/2for 0<x<2, and y=0 otherwise.
a. Graph the density curve of this variable.
b. Show that the area under this density curve to the left of any number xbetween 0 and 2 equals x2/4.
What percentage of the time is the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish
c. at most 1 inch?
d. between 0.25 inch and 1.5 inches?
e. more than 0.75 inch?

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a) The graph the density curve of this variable as:

(b) Shown that the area under this density curve to the left of any number xbetween 0 and 2 equals x2/4.

(c) The percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish at most 1 inch is 25%.

(d) The percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish between 0.25 inch and 1.5 inches is 54.6875%.

(e) The percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish more than 0.75inch is 85.9375%.

Step by step solution

01

Part (a) Step 1: Given information

To graph the density curve of this variable.

02

Part (a) Step 2: Explanation

With the density curve, the distance between the center of the first spot to form and the center of the petri dish is a variabley=x2for 0<x<2, and y=0.
The probability distribution curve of a normal random variable is called a normal curve. A normal distribution is represented graphically in this graph. If Xis a continuous random variable with a mean of μand a standard deviation of σ, then a normal curve with random variable X has the following equation:
f(x)=1σ2πe-(x-μ)22σ2;-<x<,-<μ<,σ>0.
Furthermore, a normal curve with random variable Z has the following equation.
f(z)=12πe-z22,
where Z has a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1accordingly.

03

Part (a) Step 3: Explanation

A normal curve typically includes two population parameters: population mean μand population standard deviation σ.
f(y)=x2,0<x<20,otherwise
The curve is calculated as follows:

04

Part (b) Step 1: Explanation

To show that the area under this density curve to the left of any number xbetween 0 and 2 equals x2/4.

05

Part (b) Step 2: Explanation

Between 0and x, the area under the density curve is a triangle with a base of xand a height of x2. As a result, a triangle's area equals half of the product of its base and height.
A=12×b×h
=12×x×x2

=x24

The curve is calculated as follows:

06

Part (c) Step 1: Given information

To find the percentage of the time is the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish at most 1 inch.

07

Part (c) Step 2: Explanation

According from part (b):

The area to the left of xis x24
So, the area to the left of 1 inch is:
=(1)24

=14

=0.25

=25%

As a result, the percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish at most 1 inch is 25%.

08

Part (d) Step 1: Given information

To find the percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish between 0.25 inch and 1.5 inches.

09

Part (d) Step 2: Explanation

According to part (b):

The area to the left of xis x24
So, the area to the left of 0.25 inch is:
=(0.25)24

=0.06254

=0.015625

Then the area to the left of 1.5inches is determined as:

=(1.5)24

=2.254

=0.5625

Hence, the area between 0.25inch and 1.5inches is calculated as follows:

=0.5625-0.015625

=0.546875

=54.6875%

As a result, the percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish between 0.25inch and 1.5inches is 54.6875%.

10

Part (e) Step 1: Given information

To find the percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish more than 0.75inch.

11

Part (e) Step 2: Explanation

According to part (b):

The area to the left of xis x24
So, the area to the left of 0.75 inch is calculated as:
=(0.75)24

=0.56254

=0.140625

The probability to the left reduces the area to the right of 0.75inch by 1.

Determine the area to the right of 0.75inch as:

=1-(0.140625)

=0.859375

=85.9375%

As a result, the percentage of the time the distance of the center of the first spot to appear from the center of the petri dish more than 0.75inch is 85.9375%.

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