Statistics and Probability | Week 2
Lesson 1: Random Variables and Probability Distributions
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
A variable is any information, attribute, A random variable is a variable whose value
number, characteristic, or quantity that is dependent on the outcome of a
describes a thing, a person, place, event or well-defined random event or experiment
idea that can be measured or counted. Examples:
a. Throwing a pair of dice
A discrete variable is a quantitative variable b. Drawing a card from a standard
whose value can only be attained through deck
counting. The possible values can be finite
in number or countably finite if the counting The possible values of a random variable
process has no end. are values that are obtained from functions
Examples: that assign a real number to each point of a
a. The number of students who are sample space.
fully vaccinated.
b. The number of children in a family A continuous variable is a quantitative
variable that can assume an infinitely many,
In an experiment, the outcome is said to be uncountable number of real number values.
a discrete random variable if the experiment The value given to observation can include
only has a countable or countably infinite values as small as the instrument of
number of outcomes. No other outcome measurement allows.
exists between two consecutive outcomes Examples:
a. The distance traveled by a bicyclist
A sample space is the set of of all possible during practice.
outcomes in an experiment. b. The exact age of a person.
In an experiment, the outcome is said to be
a continuous random variable if an outcome
can take an uncountably infinite number of
possible outcomes within a specified real
number interval. Here, it is always possible
to have an outcome between any two
existing ones.
The probability distribution function is a
function P(X) that shows the relative
probability that each outcome of an
experiment will happen.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
Consider tossing a pair of UNBIASED coins.
a. Determine its sample space.
b. Assign possible values to the sample points.
c. Construct a probability distribution for getting a HEAD,
Answers:
Let H be heads and T be tails.
a. Sample space: {TT, HT, TH, HH}; there are a total of 4 possible outcomes.
b. Suppose we are interested in finding the number of H in each toss. Then the possible
values of the outcomes are: TT=0 HT=1 TH=1 HH=2
c. Probability distribution function:
X 0 1 2
P(X) 1/4 2/4 1/4
Where X is the number of heads in tossing a pair of coins and P(X) is the probability of getting X
number of heads.
