Southern Maramag Colleges Module 1 STATISTICS AND PROBABILTY

P2 South Pob., Maramag, Buk. RANDOM VARIABLES AND PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

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Name: ________________________________________________ Grade 11 Distribution Date: ______________

Introduction
Overview of the Module
Statistics is defined as a science that studies data to be able to make a decision. Hence, it is a tool in decision-
making process. As a science statistics involves the methods of collecting, processing, summarizing and analyzing data in
order to provide answers or solutions to an inquiry. One also needs to interpret and communicate the results of the
methods identified above to support a decision that one makes when faced with a problem or an inquiry. Statistics
enable us to characterize persons, objects, situations, and phenomena; explain relationships among variables; formulate
objective assessments and comparisons; and, more importantly make evidence-based decisions and predictions.
In this module you will explore the following lessons: Exploring Random Variables, Constructing Probability
Distributions, Computing the Mean of a Discrete Probability Distribution and Computing the Variance of a Discrete
Probability Distribution.
Enjoy exploring Statistics and Probability!
Learning Outcomes
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Illustrate a random variable;
2. Classify random variables as discrete or continuous;
3. Find the possible values of a random variables;
4. Illustrate a probability distribution for a discrete random variable and its properties;
5. Compute probabilities corresponding to a given random variable; and
6. Construct the probability mass function of a discrete random variable and its corresponding histogram.

EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES

You have learned in your past lessons in mathematics that an experiment is any activity, which can be done
repeatedly under similar conditions. The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment is called the sample space. You
have also learned how to systematically list the possible outcomes of a given experiment.
ACTIVITY 1 Defective Cell Phones
Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. We want to find out the number of defective cell phones that
occur. Thus, to each outcome in the sample space we shall assign a value. These are 0, 1, 2 or 3. If there is no defective
cell phone, we assign the number 0; if there is 1 defective cell phone, we assign the number 1; if there are two defective
cell phones, we assign the number 2; and 3, if there are three defective cell phones. The number of defective cell phones
is a random variable. The positive values of this random variable are 0, 1, 2 and 3.
Illustration:
Let D represent the defective cell phone and N represent the non-defective cell phone. If we let X be the random
variable representing the number of defective cell phones, can you show the values of the random variable X? Complete
the table below to show the values of the random variable. (10 points)

Possible Outcomes Values of the Random Variable X

(number of defective cell phones)
Examples: NNN 0
NND 1
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

1
 A random variable is a function that associates a real number to each element in the sample space. It is a
variable whose values are determined by chance.

ACTIVITY 2 TOSSING THREE COINS

Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable representing the number of tails that occur. Find
the values of the random variable Y. Complete the table below. (15 points)

Steps Solution
1. Determine the sample space. Let H represent head The sample space experiment for this experiment is:
and T represent tail. S-={ }
2. Count the number of tails in each outcome in the Possible Outcomes Values of the Random
sample space and assign this number to this Variable Y
outcome. (number of tails)
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
A random variable is a discrete random variable if its set of possible outcomes is countable. Mostly, discrete
random variables represent count data, such as the number of defective chairs produced in a factory.
A random variable is a continuous random variable if it takes on values on a continuous scale. Often, continuous
random variables represent measured data, such as heights, weights and temperatures.
ACTIVITY 3 CLASSIFY ME!
Direction: Classify the following random variables as discrete or continuous. Write your answer on the space provided.
__________1. The number of defective computers produced by a manufacturer
__________2. The weight of newborns each year in a hospital
__________3. The number of siblings in a family of a region
__________4. The amount of paint utilized in a building project
__________5. The number of dropout in a school district for a period of 10 years
__________6. The speed of a car
__________7. The number of female athletes
__________8. The time needed to finish the test
__________9. The amount of sugar in a cup of coffee
__________10. The average amount of electricity consumed per household per month

CONSTRUCTING PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

Example 1: NUMBER OF TAILS
Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y the random variable representing the number of tails that occur. Find the
probability of each of the values of the random variable Y.
Steps Solution
1. Determine the sample space. Let H represent head The sample space for this experiment is:
and T represent tail. S={TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, HHT, HTH, THH,HHH}
2. Count the number of tails in each outcome in the Possible Outcome Value of the Random
sample space and assign this number to this Variable Y
outcome. (Number of tails)
TTT 3

2
 TTH 2
THT 2
HTT 2
HHT 1
HTH 1
THH 1
HHH 0
3. There are four possible values of the random Number of Tails Y Probability P(Y)
variable Y representing the number of tails. These 0 1
are 0, 1, 2 and 3. Assign probability values P(Y) to 8
each value of the random variable. 1 3
 There are 8 possible outcomes and no tail 8
occur once, so the probability that we shall
1 2 3
assign to the random variable 0 is
8
. 8
 There are 8 possible outcomes and no tail 3 1
occur once, so the probability that we shall 8
1
assign to the random variable 0 is .
8
 There are 8 possible outcomes and no tail
occur once, so the probability that we shall
3
assign to the random variable 0 is .
8
 There are 8 possible outcomes and no tail
occur once, so the probability that we shall
1
assign to the random variable 0 is .
8

Table 1 The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable Y
Number of Tails Y 0 1 2 3
Probability P(Y) 1 3 3 1
8 8 8 8
A discrete probability distribution or a probability mass function consists of the values a random variable can
assume and the corresponding probabilities of the values.
ACTIVITY 4 Number of Blue Balls
Direction: Follow the example (Number of Tails) above in answering this activity. Write your answer on your paper.
(10 points)
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from an urn containing 5 red balls and 6 blue balls. Let Z
be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Construct the probability distribution of the random
variable Z.
A histogram is a bar graph. To construct a histogram for a probability distribution, follow the steps:
 Plot the values of the random variable along the horizontal axis.
 Plot the probabilities along the vertical axis.
Example histogram for the number of
blue balls:
Probability P(Z)
0.5

0.4
3
0.3
0.2

0.1

0 1 2
Number of Blue Balls (Z)
Figure 1. The Histogram for the Probability Distribution of the Discrete Random Variable Z
PROPERTIES OF PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
1. The probability of each value of the random variable must be between or equal to 0 and 1. In symbol, we write it
as 0 ≤ P(X) ≤ 1.
2. The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable must be equal to 1. In symbol, we write it as
∑ P( X )= 1.
ACTIVITY 5
Direction: Determine whether the distribution represents a probability distribution. Explain your answer. (5 points each)
1.
X 1 5 8 7 9
P (X) 1 1 1 1 1
3 3 3 3 3
2.
X 0 2 4 6 8
P (X) 1 1 1 1 1
6 6 3 6 6

ACTIVITY 6
Direction: Construct a probability distribution for the data and draw a histogram of the distribution. Write your answer
on your paper. (10 points each)
1. The probabilities that a surgeon operates on 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 patients in any one day are 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.20 and
0.20, respectively.
2. The probabilities that a customer buys 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 items in a convenience store are 0.32, 0.12, 0.23, 0.18 and
0.15, respectively.
3. The probabilities that a student will borrow 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 books are 0.45, 0.30, 0.15, and 0.10 respectively.
4. Let T be a random variable giving the number of heads in three tosses of a coin. List the elements of the sample
space S for the three tosses of the coin and assign a value to each sample point.

ACTIVITY 7 MATHEMATICAL JOURNAL

Direction: In your paper, answer the following questions. (5 points each)
1. How do you find the values of the random variable?
2. How do you know whether a random variable is continuous or discrete?
3. What is the difference between continuous and discrete random variables?
4. Why should the sum of the probabilities in a probability distribution always equal to 1?
5. What is the shape of most probability distributions? Why do you think so?
Prepared by: Roselle S. Villaquer Contact details: 09107969153/rvillaquer@gmail.com