Math  /  Data & Statistics

QuestionA new drug has shown to be effective in 68%68 \% of participants during the trials. In a group of 50 patients; what is the probability that the drug is not effective for at most 5 patients?
State answer as a decimal rounded to six decimal places. \square

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? Out of 50 patients, what's the chance that 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, *or* 5 patients find the drug ineffective? Watch out! Don't mix up "effective" and "not effective"!
Also, "at most 5" includes 5!

STEP 2

1. Find the probability of "not effective".
2. Set up the binomial probability formula.
3. Calculate the probabilities for 0 to 5 patients.
4. Sum the probabilities.

STEP 3

If the drug is effective for 68%68\% of patients, that means it's *not* effective for 100%68%=32%100\% - 68\% = 32\% of patients.
So the probability of the drug being ineffective for a single patient is 0.320.32.
Let's call this probability q=0.32q = \textbf{0.32}.

STEP 4

We're dealing with a binomial probability here because each patient either finds the drug effective or not effective (success or failure).
The formula for binomial probability is: P(X=k)=(nk)pkqnkP(X=k) = \binom{n}{k} \cdot p^k \cdot q^{n-k} Where: nn is the **total number of trials** (patients in our case, so n=50n = \textbf{50}). kk is the **number of "successes"** (number of patients for whom the drug is *not* effective). pp is the **probability of "success"** on a single trial (probability of the drug being effective, which is 0.680.68). qq is the **probability of "failure"** on a single trial (probability of the drug *not* being effective, which we found to be q=0.32q = \textbf{0.32}). (nk)\binom{n}{k} is the **binomial coefficient**, calculated as n!k!(nk)!\frac{n!}{k!(n-k)!}.
It represents the number of ways to choose kk successes out of nn trials.

STEP 5

We need to calculate P(X=k)P(X=k) for kk from 0 to 5.
Let's do it!

STEP 6

P(X=0)=(500)(0.68)0(0.32)5002.582249878086908e-20P(X=0) = \binom{50}{0} \cdot (0.68)^0 \cdot (0.32)^{50-0} \approx \textbf{2.582249878086908e-20}

STEP 7

P(X=1)=(501)(0.68)1(0.32)5019.399056546095877e-19P(X=1) = \binom{50}{1} \cdot (0.68)^1 \cdot (0.32)^{50-1} \approx \textbf{9.399056546095877e-19}

STEP 8

P(X=2)=(502)(0.68)2(0.32)5021.703826764584705e-17P(X=2) = \binom{50}{2} \cdot (0.68)^2 \cdot (0.32)^{50-2} \approx \textbf{1.703826764584705e-17}

STEP 9

P(X=3)=(503)(0.68)3(0.32)5032.058053823183734e-16P(X=3) = \binom{50}{3} \cdot (0.68)^3 \cdot (0.32)^{50-3} \approx \textbf{2.058053823183734e-16}

STEP 10

P(X=4)=(504)(0.68)4(0.32)5041.862613459045688e-15P(X=4) = \binom{50}{4} \cdot (0.68)^4 \cdot (0.32)^{50-4} \approx \textbf{1.862613459045688e-15}

STEP 11

P(X=5)=(505)(0.68)5(0.32)5051.343633738227269e-14P(X=5) = \binom{50}{5} \cdot (0.68)^5 \cdot (0.32)^{50-5} \approx \textbf{1.343633738227269e-14}

STEP 12

Now, we add up the probabilities we just calculated to find the probability that at most 5 patients find the drug ineffective: P(X5)=k=05P(X=k)1.57864e-14P(X \le 5) = \sum_{k=0}^{5} P(X=k) \approx \textbf{1.57864e-14}

STEP 13

The probability that the drug is not effective for at most 5 patients is approximately **0.0000000000000158**.

Was this helpful?

Studdy solves anything!

banner

Start learning now

Download Studdy AI Tutor now. Learn with ease and get all help you need to be successful at school.

ParentsInfluencer programContactPolicyTerms
TwitterInstagramFacebookTikTokDiscord