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DISTRIBUTION
OF RANDOM
VARIABLES
4.1 RANDOM VARIABLE
Definition:
A random variable is a variable whose value is determined by the
outcome of a random experiment
• Supposed one family is randomly selected from the population. The process of
random selection is called random or chance experiment.
• Let X be the number of vehicles owned by the selected family (0, 1, 2, …, n).
Therefore the first column represents five possible values (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) of
vehicles owned by the selected family.
• This table shows that 30 families do not have vehicle, 470 families have
1 vehicle, 850 families have 2 vehicles, 490 families have 3 vehicles and
160 families have 4 vehicles.
Definition:
A random variable that assumes countable values is called
discrete random variable.
Example of Discrete
Random Variables
• Number of houses sold by a developer in a given month.
• Number of cars rented at a rental shop during a given month.
• Number of report received at the police station on a given day.
• Number of fish caught on a fishing trip.
Definition:
The probability distribution of a discrete random variable lists
all the possible values that the random variable can assume and
their corresponding probabilities.
Solution:
X 0 1 2 3 4
P(x) 0.015 0.235 0.425 0.245 0.080
P(x)
0.45
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
X
0 1 2 3 4
Exampl
e2
During
the
summer months, a rental agency keeps track of the number of cars it rents each day
during a period of 90 days and X denotes the number of cars rented per day.
Construct a probability distribution and graph for the data.
X Number of days
0 45
1 30
2 15
Total 90
Solution:
When ,
X 0 1 2
P(x) 0.5 0.33 0.17
Whereas the graph is shown below:
Exampl
e3
One small farm has 10 cows where 6 of them are male and the rest are female. A
veterinary in country XY wants to study on the foot and mouth disease that attacks the
cows. Therefore, she randomly selects without replacement two cows as a sample
from the farm. Based on the study, construct a probability distribution which X is the
random sample representing the number of male cows that being selected as a sample
(Use tree diagram to illustrate the above event).
∑ P(x) = 1
Exampl
e4
The following table lists the probability distribution of car sales per day in a used car
shop based on passed data.
Find the probability that the number of car sales per day is,
a) none
b) exactly 1
c) 1 to 3
d) more than 1
e) at most 2
Definition:
The mean of a discrete random variable X is the value that is
expected to occur repetition, on average, if an experiment is
repeated a large number of times.
Σξϖ∆λβ E(X) = ∑
A X .P ( x )
Definition:
The standard deviation of a discrete random variable X measures
the spread of its probability distribution.
• In contrast, a smaller value for the standard deviation indicates the most of the
value that X can assume clustered closely about the mean.
Exampl
e5
The following table lists the probability distribution of car sales per day in a used car
dealer based on passed data. P(x) is the probability of the corresponding value of X =
x. Calculate the expected number of sales per day and followed by standard deviation.
X P(x)
0 0.1
1 0.25
2 0.3
3 0.35
Total 1.00
Solution:
Exampl
e6
During the summer months, a rental agency keeps track of the number of chain
saws it rents each day during a period of 90 days and X denotes the number of
saws rented per day. What is the expected number of saws rented per day? Then,
find the standard deviation.
X 0 1 2
P(x) 0.5 0.33 0.17
Solution:
Mean
Standard Deviation
Definition:
The cumulative distribution function (CDF) for a random variable X
is a rule or table that provides the probabilities P ( X ≤ x ) for any
real number x.
• Generally the term cumulative probability refers to the probabilities that X less
than or greater than or equal to a particular value.
function F ( x) ,
Where;
FORMUL t
A
Σξϖ∆λβ F ( x) = P ( X ≤ x) = ∑ P ( X = x)
x = x0
and
FORMUL
A P( X = x) ,
Σξϖ∆λβ
Where; x = x0 , x1 , x2 ... is the probability distribution function for X.
Exampl
e7
X 0 1 2 3
P(x)
F(x)
Exampl
e8
A discrete random variable X has the following cumulative distribution.
1
21 , for 0 ≤ x < 1
3 , for 1 ≤ x < 2
21
6
, for 2 ≤ x < 3
F ( x) = 21
10
, for 3 ≤ x < 4
21
15
21 , for 4 ≤ x < 5
1 , for x ≥ 5
X 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(x)
F(x)
b) Construct the graph of the:
i. probability distribution of X
Y
P(y
)
d) Find the probability that at most three room bookings were cancelled.
e) Find the standard deviation for the number of room bookings being
cancelled.
P(y)
Y2.P(y)
4.5 CONTINUOUS RANDOM VARIABLE
Definition:
A random variable that can assume any value contained in one or
more intervals is called a continuous random variable.
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(x) 0.03 0.17 0.22 0.31 0.15 0.12
2. The following table lists the frequency distribution of the data collected by a
local research agency.
Number of TV sets
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
own
Number of families 110 891 329 340 151 76 103
Camcorder sold 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Probability 0.05 0.12 0.19 0.30 0.18 0.10 0.06
Calculate the mean and standard deviation for this probability distribution.
5. According to a survey, 30% of adults are against using animals for research.
Assume that this result holds true for the current population of all adults. Let
x be the number of adults who agrees using animals for research in a
random sample of three adults. Obtain:
6. In a genetics investigation, cat litters with ten kittens are studied which of
three are male. The scientist selects three kittens randomly. Let X as the
number of female kittens that being selected and construct probability
distribution for X (you may use tree diagram to represent the above event).
Based on the probability distribution obtained, find the:
a) mean.
b) standard deviation.
7. A box holds 5 whites and 3 black marbles. If two marbles are drawn
randomly without replacement and X denoted the number of white marbles,
8. The following table is the probability distribution for the number of traffic
accidents occur daily in a small city.
Number of
0 1 2 3 4 5
accidents (Y)
P(y) 0.10 0.20 9a 3a a a
a) Find the probability of:
i. exactly three accidents occur daily.
ii. between one and four accidents occur daily.
iii. at least three accidents occur daily.
iv. more than five accidents occur daily and explain your answer.
b) Traffic Department of that small city expects that 5 accidents occur
daily. Do you agree? Justify your opinion.
c) Compute the standard deviation.
Interruptions(Y) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
P(y) 0.32 0.35 0.18 0.08 0.04 0.02 0.01
10. You are trying to develop a strategy for investing in two different stocks. The
anticipated annual return for a RM1,000 investment in each stock has the
following probability distribution.
Returns (RM), X
Stock A Stock B P(x)
-100 50 0.1
0 150 0.3
80 -20 0.3
150 -100 a
TUTORIAL CHAPTER 4
The random variable X represents the number of children per family in a rural;
area in Ohio, with the probability distribution: p(x) = 0.05x, x = 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
ANSWER:
x 2 3 4 5 6
p(x)
b. P(X > 4)
c. P(3 ≤ X ≤ 5)
e. P(X = 4.5)