RANDOM VARIABLE and
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
RANDOM VARIABLE and
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
LESSON 1. RANDOM VARIABLE
STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY
• Statistics is about collecting, organizing, analyzing, and
interpreting data. It helps answer questions like: What is the
average score of the class? How many people prefer chocolate
over vanilla?
• Probability is about measuring the chance of something
happening. It helps answer questions like: What are the
chances it will rain tomorrow? What is the probability of rolling
a 6 on a die?
ACTIVITY: MY SAMPLE, MY SPACE, SAMPLE SPACE?
EXPERIMENT SAMPLE SPACE NUMBER OF SAMPLE
SPACE n(S)
Example: S = {Head, Tail} or in symbol n(S) = 2
Tossing a coin S = {H,T}
1. Rolling a die S = {1,2,3,4,5,6}
2. Rolling a die and tossing a n(S) = 12
coin simultaneously
3. Determining the network S = {Globe, Smart, Sun, Talk N
provider of the cell phone Text, TM}
ACTIVITY: MY SAMPLE, MY SPACE, SAMPLE SPACE?
EXPERIMENT SAMPLE SPACE NUMBER OF SAMPLE
SPACE n(S)
4. Picking 2 balls inside a n(S) = 4
container containing 5 red
balls and 6 blue balls
5. Spinning a roulette S = {1,2,3,4,5}
containing number from 1 to
5
6. Flipping the page of a book n(S) = 9
with pages 1 to 9.
7. Answering a true-false n(S) = 2
Definition of terms:
▪ Experiments are any movement or activity which can
be done repeatedly under similar or comparative
condition.
▪ The outcomes are the result of a given experiment
▪ The sample space is the set of all possible outcomes of
an experiment
Example to illustrate:
Rolling a die (dice) is an example of experiment.
Upon rolling the die, it is expected that it will show a dot
on the top which are either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, these are
what we call the sample space of the given experiment.
If you are only interested on a given value of dots, let say,
three dots, then “3” is what we call the outcome or the
sample.
Random variable
▪ If three cards are drawn from a deck of card
(52), what number can be assigned for the
frequency of face cards that will occur?
EXPERIMENT 1: BOYS or GIRLS?
▪ An experiment consists of studying the number of boys in
families with exactly 2 children. The random variable X may be
used to represent the number.
▪ To determine the number of sample space, we are going to use
the basic probability rule. Since we are dealing with families
with 2 children, and the children can be a boy or a girl, then
there are n(S) = 2x2 = 22 = 4 sample spaces.
EXPERIMENT 1: BOYS or GIRLS?
▪ Use tree diagram to show us the possible outcomes of the said
experiment. Tree diagram is used in probability to show
possibilities of an event.
▪ Let B denote the boy, while G denote the girl.
EXPERIMENT 1: BOYS or GIRLS?
▪ Based on the sample space, there are 4 possible outcomes.
Since we are only interested with the number of boys in the
family, then the random variable = {0,1,2}.
EXPERIMENT 2: DEFECTIVE or NON-DEFECTIVE
▪ Suppose 4 laptops are tested at random. Let N represent the non-
defective laptops and let D represent the defective laptops. If we let Z be
the random variable for the number of non-defective laptops, determine
the value of the random variable Z.
Solution:
▪ Based on the given problem, there are 4 laptops that we will be tested at
random and each laptop can either be defective or non-defective.
▪ Since there are 4 laptops and each laptop can be defective or non-
defective, then n(S) = 2x2x2x2 = 24 = 16 sample space / possible
outcomes.
From the table, the
values of the
random variable Z
are 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.
This means that it
is possible that out
of the 4 laptops
you will have, there
can be 0, 1, 2, 3, or
4 non-defective. It
can also be
observed that no
number is greater
than 4.
RANDOM VARIABLE
TYPES OF RANDOM VARIABLE
TYPES OF RANDOM VARIABLE
1. Discrete Random Variables are variables that can take on a finite
number of distinct values. In easier definition, discrete random
variable is a set of possible outcomes that is countable.
Examples
▪ the number of heads acquired while flipping a coin three times
▪ the number of defective chairs
▪ the number of boys in the family
▪ the number of students present in the online class
TYPES OF RANDOM VARIABLE
2. Continuous Random Variable are random variables that take
an infinitely uncountable number of potential values, regularly
measurable amounts.
Often, continuous random variables represent measured data,
such as:
▪ Height
▪ Weights
▪ Temperature
PRACTICE: Am I DISCRETE
or CONTINUOUS?
PRACTICE: Classify whether the following random
variables are DISCRETE or CONTINUOUS.
1. The number of patient arrivals per hour at a medical clinic.
2. The number of bushels of mangoes per hectare this year.
3. The amount of paint utilized in a building project.
4. The number of siblings in a family of a region.
5. The speed of a car.
RANDOM VARIABLE and
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
LESSON 2. PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION AND ITS
PROPERTIES
ACTIVITY: FACT or BLUFF? Directions: Determine whether the
statement is FACT or BLUFF. If the answer is bluff, you can modify the
statement to make it true.
▪ The values of the random variable Y are __________________.
Illustrative Example:
▪ In a computer laboratory, the teacher wants to find out if there is a
defective keyboard among its computer set. Supposed three
keyboards were tested at random, he asked one of his learners to list
all the possible outcomes, such that D represents the defective
keyboard and N represents the non-defective.
▪ Let X be the random variable for the number of defective keyboards.
Then, illustrate the probability distribution of the random variable X.
Based on the given problem, observe, analyze,
and answer the following questions:
a. List the sample space in the given experiment. How many outcomes are
possible?
b. Construct a table showing the number of defective keyboards in each
outcome and assign this number to this outcome. What is the value of the
random variable X?
c. Illustrate a probability distribution. What is the probability value P(X) to
each value of the random variable?
d. What is the sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable?
e. What do you notice about the probability of each value of the random
variable?
a.
b.
➢ There are four possible values of the random variable X representing the
number of defective keyboards. The possible values of X are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
c. If each of the outcomes is equally likely to occur, then the probability is:
You can also construct the table in this form:
The table given below is what we call the probability
distribution or also known as the probability mass function.
▪ The probability distribution of a discrete random variable X is a list
of the possible values of X and the corresponding probabilities of
the values. It specifies the probability associated with each possible
value of the random variable. The distribution is generally known as
Probability Mass function.
Properties of Discrete Probability Distribution
Example 1: Determine if the distribution below is a
discrete probability distribution:
▪NOT a probability distribution.
Example 2: Determine if the distribution below
is a discrete probability distribution:
▪A probability distribution.
PRACTICE: Determine whether the given values can
serve as the values of a probability distribution.
PRACTICE: Determine whether the given values can
serve as the values of a probability distribution of a
random variable X.
RANDOM VARIABLE and
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
LESSON 3. COMPUTING PROBABILITY CORRESPONDING
TO A GIVEN RANDOM VARIABLE
Activity: FIND ME!
Directions: Determine the value of the given random variable using the
probability distribution below.
Illustrative Example 1:
Golden’s Bakery is known for
its famous Filipino delicacies.
Among these foods which is
native delicious food called
“kakanin” is a “leche puto”.
The bakeshop owner recorded
the number of boxes of “leche
puto” that were delivered each
day. The number of boxes
delivered for 10 days is shown
in the table:
Questions:
▪ a. What is the probability that 40 or more boxes will be
delivered on a particular day?
▪ b. What is the probability that the number of boxes delivered
will be least 37 but not more than 50?
▪ c. What is the probability that at most 40 boxes will delivered
on a particular day?
▪ d. Find ( X ≤ 45)
▪ e. Find P(40) + P(50)
Note:
▪ It is helpful if you are going to write the value of the random variable
descending or ascending. Do not repeat a value if it is already written.
PRACTICE:
The probabilities that a customer buys 5,6,7, 8, and 9 items in a
convenience store has the following probability distribution.
a. What is the probability that a customer will buy at least 6 items?
b. What is the probability that a customer will buy at most 7 items?
c. P(5≤X<8)
d. P(8) + P(9)
e. P(7<X<9)
RANDOM VARIABLE and
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
LESSON 4. MEAN OF DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE
Activity: MY CHANCE!
Directions: Determine the chance or probability of having the
indicated outcome in the following events. Your answers must be
in fraction form.
1. The chance of getting 2 heads (HH) in tossing 2 coins.
2. The chance of getting an even number in rolling a die.
3. The chance of getting two red balls in a box containing 2 red
and 2 blue balls when two balls are picked at a time with
replacement.
4. The probability of having three girls if a couple has 3 children.
Mean of Discrete Random Variable
➢The mean of discrete random variable X is a weighted
average of the possible values that the random variable
can take.
➢Unlike the sample mean of a group of observations, which
gives each observation equal weight, the mean of random
variable weights each outcome X, according to its
possibility, P(X) ([Link]).
Sample Problem 1
1. There are 4 balls in a box, 2 red and 2 yellow.
Two balls are picked at a time.
a. What are the possible outcomes?
b. What is the probability of drawing a red ball?
c. What is the mean of the given discrete random
variable?
So, the mean is 1 which implies that the average no. of red balls
that can be picked is 1.
Sample Problem 2
The probability that a “balut” vendor can sell 3, 4, 5 baskets of “balut”
per day are 0.30, 0.50, 0.20 respectively. Find the mean of the probability
distribution.
PRACTICE:
1. The given table below
shows the probability
that a delivery truck
driver encounters bad
order (BO) every
delivery. Find the mean
of the given probability
distribution.
PRACTICE:
2. During holiday season, the probability that a
family spends Php5 000, Php10 000, Php15 000
and Php20 000 are 0.4, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.1
respectively. Find the average probability of
expenditures of a family during the holiday
season.
RANDOM VARIABLE and
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
LESSON 4. VARIANCE OF DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE
VARIANCE OF DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE
▪ The variance tells us how much we can expect the results to
deviate from the expected value. Thus, the higher the variance,
the farther away the result can be from its expected value (Math
Connections in the Digital Age Statistics and Probability - 2016).
▪ This implies that if the computed variance is high, the scores are
very much scattered around the mean. On the contrary, if the
computed variance is low, the data are closely concentrated
around the mean.
The formula to be used is:
Sample Problem 1
▪ The number of COVID - 19 patient admitted per day in a Covid
facility along with its corresponding probability is shown on
the table below. Solve and interpret the variance of the data.
Sample Problem 2
▪The probabilities of LED light Corporation to
produce 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 defective lights in a
day are 0.80, 0.10, 0.05, 0.03 and 0.02
respectively. Find the variance of the
distribution.
PRACTICE:
▪Despite the pandemic, godparents still give
cash gifts to their godchildren amounting
Php100, Php200, Php500 and Php1 000 with
the following probabilities 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, and
0.1 respectively. Compute and interpret the
variance of the given data.
