Answer:
The expected number of butterflies that they find together is 0.87.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let A = number of butterflies caught by Alice, B = number of butterflies caught by Bob and C = number of butterflies caught by Charlotte.
The probability function of A is:
[tex]A=\left \{ {{0.17;\ if\ A = 1} \atop {0.83;\ if\ A = 0}} \right.[/tex]
The probability function of B is:
[tex]B=\left \{ {{0.25;\ if\ B = 1} \atop {0.75;\ if\ B = 0}} \right.[/tex]
The probability function of C is:
[tex]C=\left \{ {{0.45;\ if\ C = 1} \atop {0.55;\ if\ C = 0}} \right.[/tex]
The random variable X is denoted as the number of butterflies that they find together.
Compute the expected value of X as follows:
E (X) = E (A + B + C)
= E (A) + E (B) + E (C)
[tex]=[(0.17\times 1)+(0.83\times 0)]+[(0.25\times 1)+(0.75\times 0)]\\+[(0.45\times 1)+(0.55\times 0)]\\=0.17+0.25+0.45\\=0.87[/tex]
Thus, the expected number of butterflies that they find together is 0.87.