LEARNING TARGET/S:
1. I can illustrate a random variable (discrete and continuous)
2. I can distinguish between a discrete and a continuous random variable
3. I can find the possible value of a random variable
4. I can illustrate a probability distribution for a discrete random variable and its properties
5. I can compute probabilities corresponding to a given random variable
6. I can illustrate the mean and variance of a discrete random variable
7. I can calculate the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable
8. I can interpret the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable
9. I can solve problems involving mean and variance of probability distribution
Peace Value: Discipline – I can make good decision making with all the possible choices
in any possible problem.
• ENGAGE
Snakes and Ladders was a popular board game
which now also has mobile versions. The goal of the
game is to get to the finish line first. Using a dice,
you determine the number of steps you take for your
turn until you reach the goal.
Many times, you would wish you get an exact
number so you can climb the stairs and avoid the
snakes which will take you all the way back to
previous steps.
In this lesson, we explore probabilities and the
number of possibilities in some scenarios. The
possible outcomes, if you will.
Random Variable and
Probability Distribution
RANDOM VARIABLE
For any random experiment, there is a nonempty set of all
possible outcomes called the sample space, denoted by S.
A random variable is a function or rule that associate every
outcome of the sample space S
to a real number.
A random variable may be viewed as a way to map
outcomes of statistical experiment determine
By chance into a number
Here is the example of statement of random variable:
Ex.
Tossing a coin three times;
Rolling a dice; and
Drawing two balls in a box
Furthermore;
Suppose two coins are tossed, let x be the random variable representing
the number of heads that occur.
Find the value of the random variable x.
Possible outcomes Value of the random
(Sample space) variable x (number of
heads)
HH 2
HT 1
TH 1
TT 0
Types of random variables:
1. Discrete = random variables defined on a finite or countably infinite sample space
Ex.
Number of heads obtained when tossing a coin thrice
The number of siblings a person has
The number of students present in a classroom at a given time
2. Continuous = random variables defined on uncountably infinite sample space
Ex.
Time of person can hold his/her breather
The height or weight of a person
Body temperature
3. Moreover, the first thing you need to remember in this variable if the discrete variable is
whole number and the continuous variable is having a decimal.
DISCRETE PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
The probability distribution associated to a random variable X is
a table or formula summarizing the probabilities associated to all
possible values of X.
1. Discrete uniform distribution = all realized values of X are equally
likely to be observed.
2. Hypergeometric distribution = describes the probability of success or
failure.
The probability distribution of a discrete random variable is often
represented by the function p(x) = P(X=x), which represents the
probability that the random variable X takes a realized value
x. This function is called the probability mass function (pmf).
The function satisfies the following:
0 ≤ p(xi) ≤ 1for any real number xi. This means that the
probability cannot be less than 0 and cannot be more than 1.
And
∑ 𝑝(𝑥𝑖) = 1
(𝑥𝑖)
where the summation is taken over all possible realized
values of X. This means that the sum of all probabilities is 1.
MEAN AND VARIANCE OF DISCRETE PROBABILITY DISTIBUTION
The sum of a collection of numbers divided by a count of numbers in
the collection is the arithmetic mean, or simply the mean or the average.
The variance is the expectation of the squared deviation from its mean.
It measures how far a set of numbers is spread out from the average value.
The standard deviation is a measure of the amount of variation or
dispersion of a set of values. Low standard variation means the values are
closer to the mean while a high standard deviation indicates the values are
spread out.
EXAMPLES ON RANDOM VARIABLES
Suppose you are to toss three coins and want to know the possible outcomes.
Each coin has two sides namely heads, which we will designate at H, and tails,
which we will designate as
T. First, we identify the possible combinations. We can obtain 8 different
combinations, and these are HHH, HHT, HTT, HTH, THT, THH, TTH, and TTT. For
example, we want to determine the probability of obtaining combinations with
heads. Since we have three coins, we assign them values that variable X will assume.
We will use the values 1, 2, and 3.
Probabilities for the values of X can be determined as follows:
No heads One head Two heads Three heads
TTT TTH, THT, HTT HHT, HTH, THH HHH
1/8 1/8 (each) 1/8 (each) 1/8
1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8
Let: Pink represent No heads
Sky Blue represent One head
Yellow represents two heads
Orange represents three heads
Possible outcome Probability Total probability of
each outcome
HHH 1/8
HHT 1/8
HTH 1/8 3/8
THH 1/8
THT 1/8
HTT 1/8 3/8
TTH 1/8
TTT 1/8
Therefore, the probability of getting no heads is 1/8, one head 3/8,
two heads 1/8, and 3 heads 1/8. The probability distribution can be
shown using the table below:
Number of 0 1 2 3
heads X
Probability 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8
P(X)
EXAMPLE: THE SECTION EULER AND DESCARTES CONTAINS A NUMBER 1,2,3,4 IN EACH CORNER.
WRITE THE PROBABILITY MASS FUNCTION AND DRAW THE HISTOGRAM OF THE SUM WHEN
ONE NUMBER FROM EACH BOX IS TAKEN AT A TIME , WITH A REPLACEMENT
1 2 1 2 Histogram
0.25
0.2
0.15
3 4 3 4
0.1
EULER DESCARTES
1,1 2,1 3,1 4,1 0.05
2 3 4 5
0
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1,2 2,2 3,2 4,2
3 4 5 6
x 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1,3 2,3 3,3 4,3
4 5 6 7 P(X)
1,4 2,4 3,4 4,4
5 6 7 8
