Continuous Random Variables s2

40cm ribbon is cut into two at a random point. The R.V. 'X' represents length of the shorter piece in cm.

Specify the probability distribution of X.

Bit stuck. All I can work out is that the distribution is continuous because X could have like 10000 decimal places so it's not discrete, and that P(0<X<20) = 1 as otherwise it's a negative length or it's not the shortest ribbon.

Can anyone nudge me in the right direction?

the required distribution is uniform continuous (Rectangular) distributed over the interval [0,20]

do you know how to specify the pdf?

Is specifying it where I would say f(x) = 1/20 for 0<x<20 and 0 otherwise? At least I think that's what it would be?

So it's rectangular because the probability of cutting it at any point is the same as cutting it at any other point if that makes sense?

Thanks

Goodness, that's a badly worded question! Strictly speaking there isn't enough information to answer it. Cut at a "random" point does not imply cut at a uniformly distributed random point...

standard current A level vocabulary

Goodness, that's a badly worded question! Strictly speaking there isn't enough information to answer it. Cut at a "random" point does not imply cut at a uniformly distributed random point...

correct