The University of Alabama in Huntsville

Electrical and Computer Engineering

1. The lifetime (measured in years) of a processor is exponentially distributed, with a mean lifetime of 2
years. You are told that a processor failed sometime in the interval [4, 8] years. Given this
information, what is the conditional probability that it failed before it was 5 years old?
Denote the lifetime of the processor by T. Since E(T) = 2, = 0.5 and the distribution
function of T is F(t) = 1 - e-0.5 t. Using the conditional probability formula:
Prob{T < 5 | 4 T 8} =

Prob{T < 5} Prob{4 T < 8} Prob{4 T < 5} F (5) F (4) (1 e 5( 0.5) ) (1 e 4( 0.5) )
=
=
=
Prob{4 T < 8}
Prob{4 T < 8} F (8) F (4) (1 e 8( 0.5) ) (1 e 4( 0.5) )
=

e 2 e 2.5
= 0.455
e 2 e 4

2. The lifetime of a processor (measured in years) follows the Weibull distribution, with parameters =
0.5 and = 0.6.
(a) What is the probability that it will fail in its first year of operation?
(b) Suppose it is still functional after t = 6 years of operation. What is the conditional probability
that it will fail in the next year?
(c) Repeat parts (a) and (b) for = 2.
(d) Repeat parts (a) and (b) for = 1.
(a) Denote the lifetime of the processor by T. The distribution function of T is

F(t) = 1 - e -0.5t . The probability that T is no greater than one year is

F( 1) = 1 - e (-0.5)1 = 1 e 0.5 = 1 0.606 = 0.394

Prob{T < 7} Prob{T > 6} Prob{6 T < 7} F (7) F (6) (1 e ( 0.5) 7 ) (1 e ( 0.5) 6 )
=
=
=
0.6
0.6
Prob{T > 6}
1 - F(6)
1 1 - e (-0.5)6
e (-0.5)6
0.6

e ( 0.5) 6 e ( 0.5) 7
0 .6

0.6

(-0.5)60.6

(c) F( 1) = 1 - e (-0.5)1

0.6

0.231 0.200
0.134
0.231

= 1 e 0 .5 = 1 0 . 606 = 0 . 394

Prob{T < 7} Prob{T > 6} Prob{6 T < 7} F (7) F (6) (1 e ( 0.5) 7 ) (1 e ( 0.5) 6 )
=
=
=
2
2
Prob{T > 6}
1 - F(6)
1 1 - e (-0.5)6
e (-0.5)6
2

e ( 0.5) 6 e ( 0.5) 7
2

e (-0.5)6

0.6

1.52 10 8 2.29 10 11
= 1.00
1.52 10 8

(d) F( 1) = 1 - e (-0.5)1 = 1 e 0.5 = 1 0.606 = 0.394

Prob{T < 7} Prob{T > 6} Prob{6 T < 7} F (7) F (6) (1 e ( 0.5) 7 ) (1 e ( 0.5) 6 )
=
=
=
1
1
Prob{T > 6}
1 - F(6)
1 1 - e (-0.5)6
e (-0.5)6
1

e ( 0.5) 6 e ( 0.5) 7
1

(-0.5)61

0.0498 0.0302
= 0.394
0.0498

4. Write the expression for the reliability Rsystem(t) of the series/parallel system shown in Figure 2.2,
assuming that each of the five modules has a reliability of R(t).

The system can be decomposed into a series system consisting of one unit with the leftmost 4 blocks
and the second unit with the rightmost block. If the reliability of the leftmost 4 blocks is RA(t), the
system reliability is RA(t)R(t). Now, we calculate RA(t). This subsystem consists of a parallel
arrangement of one unit consisting of the bottom block and another consisting of the other 3 blocks. If
RB(t) is the reliability of the top 3 blocks, RA(t) = 1 - (1 - RB(t))(1 - R(t)). Next, we calculate RB(t):
this subsystem consists of a series arrangement of one block with another consisting of two blocks in
parallel. Hence, we have
RB(t) = R(t)(1 - (1 - R(t))2) = R(t)(1 (1 2R(t) + R2(t))) = R(t)((2R(t) R2(t)) = 2R2(t) R3(t)
RA(t) = 1 (1 (2R2(t) R3(t)))(1 R(t))
= 1 (1 2R2(t) + R3(t))(1 R(t))
= 1 (1 R(t) 2R2(t) + 2R3(t) + R3(t) R4(t)
= R(t) +2R2(t) 3R3(t) + R4(t)
Rsystem = RA(t)R(t) = R5(t) 3R4(t) + 2R3(t) + R2(t)
12. Consider a system consisting of 2 subsystems in series. For improved reliability, you can build
subsystem i as a parallel system with ki units, for i = 1, 2. Suppose permanent failures occur at a
constant rate per unit.
(a) Derive an expression for the reliability of this system.
(b) Obtain an expression for the MTTF of this system with k1 = 2 and k2 = 3.
(a) The reliability of a parallel system with k units is R p( k ) (t ) = 1 (1 e t ) k . Hence, the releiability
of the series system is given by Rseries = R p( k1 ) (t ) R p( k2 ) (t )
(b) For k1 = 2 and k2 = 3,

R p( k1 ) (t ) = 1 (1 e t ) k1 = R p( 2) (t ) = 1 (1 e t ) 2 = 1 (1 2e t + e 2t ) = 2e t e 2 t
R p( k 2 ) ( t ) = 1 (1 e t ) k 2 = R p( 3 ) ( t ) = 1 (1 e t ) 3 = 1 ((1 2 e t + e 2 t )(1 e t ))

Rseries

= 1 (1 e t 2e t + 2e 2 t + e 2t e 3t ) = 3e t 3e 2 t + e 3t
= (2e t e 2t )(3e t 3e 2t + e 3t ) = 6e 2t 6e 3t + 2e 4t 3e 3t + 3e 4t e 5t

=6

2t

9e

t =0

t =0

3t

+ 5e

4t

5t

MTTF = Rseries (t )dt = (6e 2 t 9e 3t + 5e 4 t e 5t )(t )dt

6 2 t
9 3 t
5 4 t
1 5 t
e
e
e
e
=

2
3
4
5

t =0

6 2 9 3 5 4 1 5 6 20 9 30 5 40 1 50
e
e +
e
e
e
e +
e
e
3
4
5
3
4
5
2
2

= [0 0 + 0 0] 6 + 9 5 + 1 = 3 3 + 5 1 = 25 4 = 21
2 3 4 5 4 5
20
20

14. Write expressions for the upper and lower bounds and the exact reliability of the non series/parallel
system shown in Figure 2.6 (denote by Ri(t) the reliability of module i). Assume that D is a bidirectional unit.

The paths are: AE, BE, CF, ADF, BDF and CDE.
The upper bound is
Rsystem 1 - (1 - RARE)(1 - RBRE)(1 - RCRF)(1 - RARDRF)(1 - RBRDRF)(1 - RCRDRE)
The minimal cut sets are: EF, ABC, CDE and ABDF. The lower bound is
Rsystem [1-(1-RE)(1-RF)][1-(1-RA)(1-RB)(1-RC)] [1-(1-RC)(1-RD)(1-RE)][1-(1-RA)(1- RB)(1-RD)(1RF)]
To calculate the exact reliability we expand about module D. If D is faulty A and B are
connected in parallel, and then in series with E and all these are in parallel to the series
connection of C and F yielding
Rsys| D is faulty = 1 - [1 - (RA + RB - RARB)RE](1 - RCRF)
If D is fault-free, A, B and C are connected in parallel, and then in series with the parallel
connection of E and F yielding
Rsys|D is fault-free = [1 - (1 - RA)(1 - RB)(1 - RC)][RE + RF - RERF]
Finally, Rsystem = RDRsys|D is fault-free + (1 - RD)Rsys|D is fault
= RD[1-(1 - RA)(1 - RB)(1 - RC)][RE + RF - RERF] + (1 - RD) 1 - [1 - (RA + RB - RARB)RE](1 RCRF)