RECAP…
Computing the
MEAN, VARIANCE, and
STANDARD DEVIATION
of a Discrete Probability Distribution
LESSON OBJECTIVES
• illustrate and calculate the mean, variance, and
standard deviation of a discrete random variable;
• interpret the mean, variance, and standard deviation
of a discrete random variable; and,
• solve problems involving mean, variance, and standard
deviation of probability distributions.
Brainstorm Ideas!
1. What is the probability of each value of the
𝟎 ≤ 𝑷 ( 𝑿 ) ≤𝟏
random variable?
2. Why is the sum of the probabilities in a
probability distribution always equal to 1?
Try this!
Given the values of the variables X and Y, evaluate the
summations:
1.
2 =
3. =
4. =
5. =
What is mean?
The mean is considered as a measure of
the ‘central location’ of a random variable.
It is the weighted average of the values that
random variable X can take, with weights
provided by the probability distribution.
Steps to compute the mean
• Step 1. Construct the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of spots that would appear.
• Step 2. Multiply the value of the random variable X by the
corresponding probability.
• Step 3. Add the results obtained in step 2.
Formula for the mean of the DISCRETE
probability distribution
or
where:
are the values of the random variable X; and
are the corresponding probabilities
Example 1:
GROCERY ITEMS
The probabilities that a customer will buy 1, 2, 3,
4, or 5 items in a grocery store are , respectively.
What is the average number (mean), variance,
and standard deviation of items that a customer
will buy?
Number of Probability X P(X) TOTAL
Items (X) P(X)
1
Conclusion:
So, the mean of the probability distribution is 3.1. This implies that
the average number of items that the customer will buy is 3.1.
Example
2:
SURGERY PATIENTS
The probabilities that a surgeon operates on 3, 4, 5, 6,
or 7 patients in any day are 0.15, 0.10, 0.20, 0.25, and
0.30, respectively. Find the average number (mean) of
patients that a surgeon operates on a day.
Number of Probability X P(X) TOTAL
Patient (X) P(X)
3 0.15 0.45
4 0.10 0.4
5 0.20 1
6 0.25 1.5
7 0.30 2.1
Conclusion:
So, the mean of the probability distribution is 5. This implies that the
average number of patients that a surgeon operates on a day is 5.
Real World problem
• Eagles always lay three eggs at a time. The number of egg X that
hatch is described by the following probability distribution.
X 0 1 2 3
P(X) 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.2
Find the mean.
Variance
- is the measure of the spread between numbers in a
data set.
Standard Deviation
- a measurement of the data's dispersion from the
mean.
Steps in finding the variance and standard
deviation
• Step 1 and 2. Find the mean of the probability distribution.
• Step 3. ¿Multiply the square of the value of the random variable
X by its corresponding probability.
• Step 4. Get the sum of the results obtained in the second step.
• Step 5. Subtract square of the mean from the results obtained
in the third step.
Formula for the VARIANCE and STANDARD
DEVIATION of the probability distribution
Variance or
Standard Deviation or
where:
= value of the random variable
= probability of the random variable X
μ = mean of the probability distribution
FORMAT:
NUMBER OF ____ PROBABILITY
0
1
2
…
____________ ____________
Variance: Standard Deviation:
_____________ _____________
FORMAT: STEP 1 STEP 3
NUMBER OF ____ PROBABILITY
0
1
2
… STEP 2 STEP 4
____________ ____________
STEP 5 STEP 6
Variance: Standard Deviation:
_____________ _____________
Problem 1
GROCERY ITEMS
The probabilities that a customer will buy 1, 2, 3, 4,
or 5 items in a grocery store are , respectively. What
is the average number (mean), variance, and
standard deviation of items that a customer will
buy?
Number of Probability X P(X)
Items (X) P(X)
1
2
3
4
5
P(X) =
Variance:
Standard Deviation:
or 2.69
1.64
The variance is 2.69 and the standard deviation is
1.64
Problem 2
SURGERY PATIENTS
The probabilities that a surgeon operates on 3, 4,
5, 6, or 7 patients in any day are 0.15, 0.10, 0.20,
0.25, and 0.30, respectively. Find the average
number (mean), variance, standard deviation of
patients that a surgeon operates on a day.
Problem 3
Number of Cars Probability
Sold (X) P(X)
0
4
Answer: Problem 3
Number of Probability
Cars Sold (X) P(X)
0 Variance:
3
Standard
4 Deviation:
Problem 4
NUMBER OF ITEMS SOLD
The number of items sold per day at a retail store, with
its corresponding probabilities, is shown in the table
below. Find the mean, variance, and standard
deviation of the probability distribution.
Number of Item Sold (X) 19 20 21 22 23
Probability P(X) 0.20 0.20 0.30 0.20 0.10
Practice:
1. In a certain hospital, the probability model for the randomly returning
babies to their correct mothers is described in the table below: How many
correct matches would we get on average?
X 0 1 2 3
P(X) 0.05 0.25 0.375 0.325
2. The table below shows the probability distribution for a random variable X
which corresponds to the number of pens the teachers in the faculty room
have in their lockers. Find the mean, variance, and standard deviation.
X 0 1 2 3 40.15
P(X) 0.15 0.2 0.35 0.25 0.05
ANSWER:
PROBABILITY
0 0.05 0 • 0.05 = 0
1 0.25 0.25
2 0.375 0.75
3 0.325 0.975
1
1.975
Conclusion:
Therefore the average correct matches would be 1.975.
ANSWER:
PROBABILITY
0 0.15 0 • 0.15 = 0 02 • 0.15 = 0
1 0.2 0.2 0.2
2 0.35 0.7 1.4
3 0.25 0.75 2.25
40.15 0.05 2.0075 80.601125
1 = 84.451125
3.6575
Variance: Standard Deviation: Conclusion:
Therefore the average number of
pens the teachers in the faculty
84.451125 - (3.6575)2
room have in their lockers is
= 84.451125 - 13.37730625 3.6575. The variance is
= 8.43
= 71.07381875 71.07381875 and the standard
deviation is 8.43
.
