1997 Paper 1 Q14

Year: 1997
Paper: 1
Question Number: 14

Course: UFM Statistics
Section: Exponential Distribution

Difficulty: 1484.0 Banger: 1484.0

Problem

The maximum height \(X\) of flood water each year on a certain river is a random variable with density function \begin{equation*} {\mathrm f}(x)= \begin{cases} \exp(-x)&\text{if \(x\geqslant 0\),}\\ 0&\text{otherwise}. \end{cases} \end{equation*} It costs \(y\) megadollars each year to prepare for flood water of height \(y\) or less. If \(X\leqslant y\) no further costs are incurred but if \(X\geqslant y\) the cost of flood damage is \(r+s(X-y)\) megadollars where \(r,s>0\). The total cost \(T\) megadollars is thus given by \begin{equation*} T= \begin{cases} y&\text{if \(X\leqslant y\)},\\ y+r+s(X-y)&\text{if \(X>y\)}. \end{cases} \end{equation*} Show that we can minimise the expected total cost by taking \[y=\ln(r+s).\]

No solution available for this problem.

Rating Information

Difficulty Rating: 1484.0

Difficulty Comparisons: 1

Banger Rating: 1484.0

Banger Comparisons: 1

Show LaTeX source
Problem source
The maximum height $X$ of flood water 
each year on a certain
river is a random variable with density function
\begin{equation*}
{\mathrm f}(x)=
\begin{cases}
\exp(-x)&\text{if $x\geqslant 0$,}\\
0&\text{otherwise}.
\end{cases}
\end{equation*}
It costs $y$ megadollars each year
to prepare for flood water
of height $y$ or less. If $X\leqslant y$ 
no further costs are incurred
but if $X\geqslant y$ the cost of flood damage 
is $r+s(X-y)$ megadollars where $r,s>0$. 
The total cost $T$ megadollars is thus
given by
\begin{equation*}
T=
\begin{cases}
y&\text{if $X\leqslant y$},\\
y+r+s(X-y)&\text{if $X>y$}.
\end{cases}
\end{equation*}
Show that we can minimise the expected total cost
by taking 
\[y=\ln(r+s).\]