Skip to main content
A-LevelMathematicsProbability and statistics9709/63 · Oct/Nov 2021 · Q59 Marks

(a) The proportion of people having a particular medical condition is 1 in 100000. A random sample of 2500 people is obtained. The number of people in the sample having the condition is denoted by X. (b) The percentage of people having a different medical condition is thought to be 30%. A researcher suspects that the true percentage is less than 30%. In a medical trial a random sample of 28 people was selected and 4 people were found to have this condition.

  1. (a)(i)State, with a justification, a suitable approximating distribution for X, giving the values of any parameters.[2]
  2. (a)(ii)Use the approximating distribution to calculate P(X > 0).[2]
  3. (b)Use a binomial distribution to test the researcher's suspicion at the 2% significance level.[5]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [B1] Po(0.025) (For Poisson and correct parameter.)
  2. [B1] n = 2500 > 50, np = 0.025 < 5 (Must show 2500 and 0.025. Accept p = 1/100000 < 0.1 in place of np = 0.025 < 5.)
  3. [M1] 1 - e^-0.025 (Allow any λ. FT their (a)(i) if normal; must have continuity correction.)
  4. [A1] 0.0247 (3sf) (Must be from Poisson. Unsupported correct answer scores B1 instead of M1 A1.)
  5. [B1] H₀: p = 0.3, H₁: p < 0.3
  6. [M1] 0.7^28 + 28C1 x 0.7^27 x 0.3 + 28C2 x 0.7^26 x 0.3^2 + 28C3 x 0.7^25 x 0.3^3 + 28C4 x 0.7^24 x 0.3^4 (Use of B(28, 0.3). Addition of terms must be intended. Allow one term wrong or omitted or extra.)
  7. [A1] 0.0474 (Unsupported correct answer scores B1 instead of M1 A1.)
  8. [M1] 0.0474 > 0.02 [Not reject Ho] (Valid comparison.)
  9. [A1ft] No evidence that suspicion is true. (Not definite e.g. not ‘Suspicion is not true’, in context, no contradictions. SC use of N(8.4, 5.88) leading to 0.054 > 0.2 OE can score B1 only for comparison and correct conclusion. Correct hypotheses with p will also score B1.)

Write your answer and get it marked

On Oracle Prep you can write or photograph your own answer and have it marked by AI against this mark scheme, with feedback on what you missed.

Sign up free →

About this question

Topic
Probability and statistics, A-Level Mathematics (syllabus 9709). Structured question, 9 marks.
Source
A-Level Mathematics, Oct/Nov 2021 Paper 6 Variant 3, question 5.

Questions and mark schemes are from past examination papers and remain the copyright of the exam board. How Oracle Prep builds its content

Related Mathematics questions

© 2026 Oracle Prep