Solutions Manual for
Probability and Random Processes for
Electrical and Computer Engineers
John A. Gubner
University of Wisconsin–Madison
File Generated July 13, 2007
CHAPTER 1
Problem Solutions
1. Ω = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
2. Ω = {0, 1, 2, . . . , 24, 25}.
3. Ω = [0, ∞). RTT > 10 ms is given by the event (10, ∞).
4.
5.
(a) Ω = {(x, y) ∈ IR2 : x2 + y2 ≤ 100}.
(b) {(x, y) ∈ IR2 : 4 ≤ x2 + y2 ≤ 25}.
(a) [2, 3]c = (−∞, 2)∪ (3, ∞).
(b) (1, 3)∪ (2, 4) = (1, 4).
(c) (1, 3)∩ [2, 4) = [2, 3).
(d) (3, 6]\ (5, 7) = (3, 5].
6. Sketches:
y
B
0
y
C1
x
x
1
x
−1
x
3
y
−1
B
−1
y
3
J3
x
x
y
1
1B
y
H3
1
2
Chapter 1 Problem Solutions
y
3
y
3
x
3
x
3
H3
U = M3
J3
UH3
=
J3 N3
y
2
y
4
3
x
2
x
3
4
2M
U = 2M
N3
4M N3U
7.
(a) [1, 4]∩[0, 2]∪ [3, 5] = [1, 4]∩ [0, 2]∪[1, 4]∩ [3, 5] = [1, 2]∪ [3, 4].
(b)
[0, 1]∪ [2, 3]c
= [0, 1]c ∩ [2, 3]c
= h(−∞, 0)∪ (1, ∞)i∩h(−∞, 2)∪ (3, ∞)i
= (−∞, 0)∩h(−∞, 2)∪ (3, ∞)i
∪(1, ∞)∩h(−∞, 2)∪ (3, ∞)i
= (−∞, 0)∪ (1, 2)∪ (3, ∞).
n , 1
n ) = {0}.
2n ) = [0, 3].
3n ] = [5, 7).
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
[0, 3 + 1
∞\n=1
(− 1
∞\n=1
∞[n=1
[5, 7− 1
∞[n=1
[0, n] = [0, ∞).
Chapter 1 Problem Solutions
3
8. We first let C ⊂ A and show that for all B, (A∩ B)∪C = A∩ (B∪C). Write
A∩ (B∪C) = (A∩ B)∪ (A∩C),
by the distributive law,
= (A∩ B)∪C,
since C ⊂ A ⇒ A∩C = C.
For the second part of the problem, suppose (A∩ B)∪C = A∩ (B∪C). We must show
that C ⊂ A. Let ω ∈ C. Then ω ∈ (A ∩ B) ∪ C. But then ω ∈ A ∩ (B ∪ C), which
implies ω ∈ A.
9. Let I := {ω ∈ Ω : ω ∈ A ⇒ ω ∈ B}. We must show that A∩ I = A∩ B.
⊂: Let ω ∈ A∩ I. Then ω ∈ A and ω ∈ I. Therefore, ω ∈ B, and then ω ∈ A∩ B.
⊃: Let ω ∈ A∩ B. Then ω ∈ A and ω ∈ B. We must show that ω ∈ I too. In other
words, we must show that ω ∈ A ⇒ ω ∈ B. But we already have ω ∈ B.
10. The function f : (−∞, ∞) → [0, ∞) with f (x) = x3 is not well defined because not all
values of f (x) lie in the claimed co-domain [0, ∞).
11.
12.
(a) The function will be invertible if Y = [−1, 1].
(b) {x : f (x) ≤ 1/2} = [−π/2,π/6].
(c) {x : f (x) < 0} = [−π/2, 0).
(a) Since f is not one-to-one, no choice of co-domain Y can make f : [0,π] → Y
invertible.
(b) {x : f (x) ≤ 1/2} = [0,π/6]∪ [5π/6,π].
(c) {x : f (x) < 0} = ∅.
13. For B ⊂ IR,
f −1(B) =
X, 0 ∈ B and 1 ∈ B,
A, 1 ∈ B but 0 /∈ B,
Ac, 0 ∈ B but 1 /∈ B,
∅, 0 /∈ B and 1 /∈ B.
14. Let f : X → Y be a function such that f takes only n distinct values, say y1, . . . , yn.
Let B ⊂ Y be such that f −1(B) is nonempty. By definition, each x ∈ f −1(B) has the
property that f (x) ∈ B. But f (x) must be one of the values y1, . . . , yn, say yi. Now
f (x) = yi if and only if x ∈ Ai := f −1({yi}). Hence,
f −1(B) = [i:yi∈B
Ai.
15.
(a) f (x) ∈ Bc ⇔ f (x) /∈ B ⇔ x /∈ f −1(B) ⇔ x ∈ f −1(B)c.
(b) f (x) ∈
Bn if and only if f (x) ∈ Bn for some n; i.e., if and only if x ∈ f −1(Bn)
∞[n=1
for some n. But this says that x ∈
f −1(Bn).
∞[n=1
4
Chapter 1 Problem Solutions
Bn if and only if f (x) ∈ Bn for all n; i.e., if and only if x ∈ f −1(Bn)
(c) f (x) ∈
∞\n=1
for all n. But this says that x ∈
f −1(Bn).
∞\n=1
is countable.
16. If B =Si{bi} and C =Si{ci}, put a2i := bi and a2i−1 := ci. Then A =Si ai = B∪ C
17. Since each Ci is countable, we can write Ci =S j ci j. It then follows that
B :=
Ci =
∞[i=1
∞[i=1
∞[j=1{ci j}
is a doubly indexed sequence and is therefore countable as shown in the text.
If B = ∅, we’re done by definition. Otherwise, there is at least one element of B in
18. Let A =Sm{am} be a countable set, and let B ⊂ A. We must show that B is countable.
A, say ak. Then put bn := an if an ∈ B, and put bn := ak if an /∈ B. ThenSn{bn} = B
19. Let A ⊂ B where A is uncountable. We must show that B is uncountable. We prove
this by contradiction. Suppose that B is countable. Then by the previous problem, A
is countable, contradicting the assumption that A is uncountable.
and we see that B is countable.
20. Suppose A is countable and B is uncountable. We must show that A∪B is uncountable.
We prove this by contradiction. Suppose that A ∪ B is countable. Then since B ⊂
A ∪ B, we would have B countable as well, contradicting the assumption that B is
uncountable.
21. MATLAB. OMITTED.
22. MATLAB. Intuitive explanation: Using only the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, consider how
many ways there are to write the following numbers:
1 way,
2 = 1 + 1
2 ways,
3 = 1 + 2 = 2 + 1
3 ways,
4 = 1 + 3 = 2 + 2 = 3 + 1
4 ways,
5 = 1 + 4 = 2 + 3 = 3 + 2 = 4 + 1
6 = 1 + 5 = 2 + 4 = 3 + 3 = 4 + 2 = 5 + 1
5 ways,
7 = 1 + 6 = 2 + 5 = 3 + 4 = 4 + 3 = 5 + 2 = 6 + 1 6 ways,
5 ways,
8 = 2 + 6 = 3 + 5 = 4 + 4 = 5 + 3 = 6 + 2
4 ways,
9 = 3 + 6 = 4 + 5 = 5 + 4 = 6 + 3
3 ways,
2 ways,
1 way,
36 ways, 36/36 = 1
1/36 = 0.0278
2/36 = 0.0556
3/36 = 0.0833
4/36 = 0.1111
5/36 = 0.1389
6/36 = 0.1667
5/36 = 0.1389
4/36 = 0.1111
3/36 = 0.0833
2/36 = 0.0556
1/36 = 0.0278
10 = 4 + 6 = 5 + 5 = 6 + 4
11 = 5 + 6 = 6 + 5
12 = 6 + 6
23. Take Ω := {1, . . . , 26} and put
P(A) := |A|
|Ω|
= |A|
26
.
Chapter 1 Problem Solutions
5
The event that a vowel is chosen is V = {1, 5, 9, 15, 21}, and P(V ) = |V|/26 = 5/26.
24. Let Ω := {(i, j) : 1 ≤ i, j ≤ 26 and i 6= j}. For A ⊂ Ω, put P(A) := |A|/|Ω|. The event
that a vowel is chosen followed by a consonant is
Similarly, the event that a consonant is followed by a vowel is
Bvc = (i, j) ∈ Ω : i = 1, 5, 9, 15, or 21 and j ∈ {1, . . . , 26}\{1, 5, 9, 15, 21}.
Bcv = (i, j) ∈ Ω : i ∈ {1, . . . , 26}\{1, 5, 9, 15, 21} and j = 1, 5, 9, 15, or 21.
P(Bvc ∪ Bcv) = |Bvc| +|Bcv|
5· (26− 5) + (26− 5)· 5
21
65 ≈ 0.323.
We need to compute
=
|Ω|
650
=
The event that two vowels are chosen is
Bvv = (i, j) ∈ Ω : i, j ∈ {1, 5, 9, 15, 21} with i 6= j,
and P(Bvv) = |Bvv|/|Ω| = 20/650 = 2/65 ≈ .031.
25. MATLAB. The code for simulating the drawing of a face card is
% Simulation of Drawing a Face Card
%
n = 10000;
X = ceil(52*rand(1,n));
faces = (41 <= X & X <= 52);
nfaces = sum(faces);
fprintf(’There were %g face cards in %g draws.\n’,nfaces,n)
% Number of draws.
26. Since 9 pm to 7 am is 10 hours, take Ω := [0, 10]. The probability that the baby wakes
up during a time interval 0 ≤ t1 < t2 ≤ 10 is
P([t1,t2]) := Z t2
t1
1
10
dω.
Hence, P([2, 10]c) = P([0, 2]) =R 2
27. Starting with the equations
0 1/10 dω = 1/5.
SN = 1 + z + z2 +··· + zN−2 + zN−1
zSN =
z + z2 +··· + zN−2 + zN−1 + zN,
subtract the second line from the first. Canceling common terms leaves
SN − zSN = 1− zN,
or
SN(1− z) = 1− zN.
If z 6= 1, we can divide both sides by 1− z to get SN = (1− zN)/(1− z).
6
Chapter 1 Problem Solutions
28. Let x = p(1). Then p(2) = 2p(1) = 2x, p(3) = 2p(2) = 22x, p(4) = 2p(3) = 23x,
p(5) = 24x, and p(6) = 25x. In general, p(ω) = 2ω−1x and we can write
1 =
6
∑
ω=1
p(ω) =
6
∑
ω=1
2ω−1x = x
5
∑
ω=0
2ω =
1− 26
1− 2
x = 63x.
Hence, x = 1/63, and p(ω) = 2ω−1/63 for ω = 1, . . . , 6.
(a) By inclusion–exclusion, P(A∪ B) = P(A) + P(B)− P(A∩ B), which can be re-
29.
arranged as P(A∩ B) = P(A) + P(B)− P(A∪ B).
(b) Since P(A) = P(A∩ B) + P(A∩ Bc),
P(A∩ Bc) = P(A)− P(A∩ B) = P(A∪ B)− P(B),
by part (a).
(c) Since B and A∩ Bc are disjoint,
P(B∪ (A∩ Bc)) = P(B) + P(A∩ Bc) = P(A∪ B),
by part (b).
(d) By De Morgan’s law, P(Ac ∩ Bc) = P([A∪ B]c) = 1− P(A∪ B).
30. We must check the four axioms of a probability measure. First,
P(∅) = λP1(∅) + (1−λ)P2(∅) = λ· 0 + (1−λ)· 0 = 0.
Second,
Third,
P(A) = λP1(A) + (1−λ)P2(A) ≥ λ· 0 + (1−λ)· 0 = 0.
P ∞[n=1
An = λP1 ∞[n=1
An + (1−λ)P2 ∞[n=1
An
= λ
∞
∑
n=1
P1(An) + (1−λ)
P2(An)
∞
∑
n=1
=
=
∞
∑
n=1
[λP1(An) + (1−λ)P2(An)]
∞
∑
n=1
P(An).
Fourth, P(Ω) = λP1(Ω) + (1−λ)P2(Ω) = λ + (1−λ) = 1.
31. First, since ω0 /∈ ∅, µ(∅) = 0. Second, by definition, µ(A) ≥ 0. Third, for disjoint
An, suppose ω0 ∈Sn An. Then ω0 ∈ Am for some m, and ω0 /∈ An for n 6= m. Then
µ(Am) = 1 and µ(An) = 0 for n 6= m. Hence, µSn An = 1 and ∑n µ(An) = µ(Am) =
1. A similar analysis shows that if ω0 /∈Sn An then µSn An and ∑n µ(An) are both
zero. Finally, since ω0 ∈ Ω, µ(Ω) = 1.
Chapter 1 Problem Solutions
7
32. Starting with the assumption that for any two disjoint events A and B, P(A ∪ B) =
P(A) + P(B), we have that for N = 2,
Now we must show that if (∗) holds for any N ≥ 2, then (∗) holds for N + 1. Write
P(An).
(∗)
P N+1[n=1
N
∑
n=1
An =
P N[n=1
An = P N[n=1
An∪ AN+1
= P N[n=1
An + P(AN+1),
P(An) + P(AN+1),
=
=
N
∑
n=1
N+1
∑
n=1
P(An).
additivity for two events,
by (∗),
33. Since An := Fn ∩ F c
n−1 ∩···∩ F c
1 ⊂ Fn, it is easy to see that
N[n=1
An ⊂
Fn.
N[n=1
The hard part is to show the reverse inclusion ⊃. Suppose ω∈SN
n=1 Fn. Then ω∈ Fn
for some n in the range 1, . . . , N. However, ω may belong to Fn for several values of
n since the Fn may not be disjoint. Let
k := min{n : ω ∈ Fn and 1 ≤ n ≤ N}.
In other words, 1 ≤ k ≤ N and ω ∈ Fk, but ω /∈ Fn for n < k; in symbols,
Hence, ω ∈ Ak ⊂SN
k := min{n : ω ∈ Fn and n ≥ 1}.
k−1 ∩···∩ F c
n=1 An. The proof thatS∞
n=1 An ⊂S∞
ω ∈ Fk ∩ F c
1 =: Ak.
n=1 Fn is similar except that
34. For arbitrary events Fn, let An be as in the preceding problem. We can then write
P ∞[n=1
Fn = P ∞[n=1
An =
∞
∑
n=1
P(An),
since the An are disjoint,
= lim
N→∞
= lim
N→∞
= lim
N→∞
P(An),
by def. of infinite sum,
N
∑
n=1
P N[n=1
P N[n=1
An
Fn.