The final exam in a one-term statistics course is taken in the December exam period. Students who are sick or have other legitimate reasons for missing the exam are allowed to write a deferred exam scheduled for the first week in January. A statistics professor has observed that only 2% of all students legitimately miss the December final exam. Suppose that the professor has 40 students registered this term.

a. How many students can the professor expect to miss the December exam?

b. What is the probability that the professor will not have to create a deferred exam?