Statistics and

Probability
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Random Variables and
Probability Distributions
Statistics and Probability – Grade 11
Quarter 3 – Module 1: Random Variables and Probability Distributions
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education – Region XI

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Statistics and
Probability
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Random Variables and
Probability Distributions

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Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use
this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while
allowing them to manage their own learning at home. Furthermore, you are
expected to encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included
in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own
learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different activities
in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be reminded of
the following:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part
of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other
activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are done.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module,
do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that
you are not alone. We hope that through this material, you will experience
meaningful learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant
competencies. You can do it!

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 Let Us Learn

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to
help you master the concept of Random Variables and Probability
Distributions. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different
learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level
of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the
course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to correspond
with the textbook you are now using.

The module is divided into two lessons, namely:

• Lesson 1 – Random Variables

• Lesson 2 - Probability Distributions

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. illustrate a random variable (discrete and continuous).
M11/12SP-IIIa-1

2. distinguish between a discrete and a continuous random variable.

M11/12SP-IIIa-2

3. find the possible values of a random variable. M11/12SP-IIIa-3

4. illustrate a probability distribution for a discrete random variable and

its properties. M11/12SP-IIIa-4

Let Us Try

Direction: Classify each random variable as discrete or continuous.

1. The number of arrivals at an emergency room between midnight

and 6:00a.m.

2. The weight of a sack of rice labeled “50 kilograms.”

3. The duration of the next outgoing telephone call from a business office.

4. The number of kernels of popcorn in a five-kilo container.

5. The number of applicants for a job.

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 Let Us Study

LESSON 1: RANDOM VARIABLES

We first learned about the notion of variables in the introduction of

Algebra, and we know from our Algebra lessons that a variable is a placeholder
for real number values that can be assigned to it. Some examples of variables
include X = number of heads or Y = number of cell phones or Z = running
time to movies.

In certain trials, for example, flipping or tossing a coin three times,

rolling a die twice, drawing two balls from an urn, and so forth, we are not
usually concerned with the results.

We were usually engrossed in some numerals associated with the

outcomes. For example, if a coin is tossed twice, the set of all possible
outcomes (S) of the experiment is:

S = {TT, TH, HT, HH}

A sample space (S) = is a collection or a set of possible outcomes of a

random experiment. The sample space is represented using the symbol, “S”.
The subset of possible outcomes of an experiment is called events. A sample
space may contain several outcomes which depends on the experiment. If it
contains a finite number of outcomes, then it is known as discrete or finite
sample spaces.
On the off chance that we are keen on the number of tails that turned
out in the experiment, we can allocate numbers 0, 1 and 2 for each of the 4
possible results. Thus, we can write:

Sample Space Number of

Tails
TT 2
TH 1
HT 1
HH 0

From the table above, instead of writing Number of Tails, we can denote
it as set of X whose elements (x1, x2, and x3) are 0, 1 and 2. In symbol:
X = {0, 1, 2}.
Then X is called a random variable.

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 A random variable is a variable whose value is determined by the
outcome of a random experiment. It is usually denoted as a capital (upper
case) X for the random variable and lower case x1, x2, x3,... for the values of
the random variable in an experiment. The xi then represents an event that is
a subset of the sample space.

Types of Random Variables

A discrete random variable is said to be a random variable X and it

has a finite number of elements or infinite but can be represented by whole
numbers. These values usually arise from counts.

Finite sets: Finite sets are the sets having a finite/countable number
of members. Finite sets are also known as countable sets as they can be
counted. The process will run out of elements to list if the elements of this set
have a finite number of members.
Examples of finite sets:
P = {0, 3, 6, 9, …, 99}
Q = {a: a is an integer, 1 < a < 10}
A set of all English Alphabets (because it is countable).

Infinite sets: If a set is not finite, because the number of elements in

that set is not countable and it cannot be represented in a Roster form. Thus,
infinite sets are also known as uncountable sets.
Examples of infinite sets:

• A set of all whole numbers, W= {0, 1, 2, 3, 4,…}

• A set of all points on a line
• The set of all integers

A continuous random variable is said to be a random variable Y and

it has an infinite (unaccountable) number of elements and cannot be
represented by whole numbers. Hence, values between consecutive counting
numbers could be considered such as decimals, fractions, etc. These values
usually come from measurements.

A continuous random variable is one which takes an infinite

number of possible values and usually measurements.

Example:
height
weight
The amount of sugar in an orange.
The time required to run a mile.

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Example 1:
A teacher’s record has the following: (a) scores of students in a 50-item
test, (b) gender, (c) height of the students. Classify each whether discrete or
continuous variable.
Answer:
Scores of students in a 50-item test are a discrete random variable
because the scores of the students are usually represented by whole numbers.
Gender is also a discrete random variable because male and female
could be coded 0 for female and 1 for male, thus, it can be counted.
Height of the students is regarded as a continuous random variable
because measurements have infinite (unaccountable) values that could be
represented by decimals or fractions.

Example 2:
Write the possible values of each random variable:
a. X = number of heads in tossing a coin thrice
b. Y = dropout rate (%) in a certain high school

Answer:
a. X = {0, 1, 2, 3}
b. Y = {all real numbers from 0 to 100} or Y = {x/0 < x < 100}

Let Us Practice

DIRECTION: Give the set of possible values for each random variable.

1. The number of coins that match when three coins are tossed at once.

2. The number of games in the next World Cup Series (best of four up to
seven games).

3. The amount of liquid in a 12-ounce can of soft drink.

4. The average weight of newborn babies born in the Philippines in a

month.

5. The number of heads in two tosses of coin.

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 Let Us Practice More

DIRECTION: Match the following with each letter on the probability line.

a b c d e

0 25% 50% 75% 100%

https://studiousguy.com/8-real-life-examples-of-probability/

____ 1. A male student is chosen in a group of 4 where 1 is female.

____ 2. If you flip a coin, it will come down heads.

____ 3. It will be daylight in Davao City at midnight.

____ 4. Of the 40 seedlings, only 10 survived.

____ 5. The third person to knock on the door will be a female.

Let Us Study

LESSON 2: PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

Discrete Probability Distribution is a table listing all possible values

that a discrete variable can take on, together with the associated probabilities.

The function f(x) is called a Probability Density Function for the

continuous random variable X where the total area under the curve bounded
by the x-axis is equal 1.

PROBABILITIES AS RELATIVE FREQUENCY

In an experiment or survey, relative frequency of an event is the
number of times the event occurs divided by the total number of trials. For
instance, if you observed 100 passing cars and found that 23 of them were
red, the relative frequency would be 23/100.

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 Example 1

The weight of a jar of coffee selected is a continuous random variable.

The following table gives the weights in kg of 100 jars of coffee recently filled
by the machine. It lists the observed values of the continuous random variable
and their corresponding frequencies.

Find the probabilities for each weight category?

Number
Weight X
of Jars

0.900−0.925 1

0.925−0.950 7

0.950−0.975 25

0.975−1.000 32

1.000−1.025 30

1.025−1.050 5

Total 100

Answer:

Simply divide the number of jars in each weight category by 100 to give the
probabilities.

Number Probability
Weight X
of Jars P (a ≤ X < b)
0.900 - 0.925 1 0.01
0.925 - 0.950 7 0.07
0.950 - 0.975 25 0.25
0.975 - 1.000 32 0.32
1.000 - 1.025 30 0.30
1.025 - 1.050 5 0.05
Total 100 1.00

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EXPECTED VALUE OF A RANDOM VARIABLE

Let X represent a discrete random variable with the probability

distribution function P(X). Then the expected value of X denoted by E(X),
or μ, is defined as:

E(X) = μ = Σ (xi × P(xi))

To calculate this, we multiply each possible value of the variable by its

probability, then add the results.

Σ (xi × P(xi)) = {x1 × P(x1)} + {x2 × P(x2)} + {x3 × P(x3)} + ...

E(X) is also called the mean of the probability distribution.

Example

The number of persons X, in a Singapore family chosen at random has

the following probability distribution:

X 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

P(X) 0.34 0.44 0.11 0.06 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01

Find the average family size E(X).?

Answer:

E(X) =∑{xi⋅P(xi)}

= 1×0.34+2×0.44 +3×0.11+4×0.06 +5×0.02+6×0.01+7×0.01+8×0.01

= 2.1

So, the average family size is 2.

VARIANCE OF A RANDON VARIABLE

Let X represent a discrete random variable with probability distribution

P(X). The variance of X denoted by V(X) or σ2 is defined as:

V(X) = σ2

= Σ[{X − E(X)}2 × P(X) ]

Since μ = E(X), (or the average value), we could also write this as:

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 V(X) = σ2

= Σ[{X − μ}2 × P(X) ]

Another way of calculating the variance is:

V(X) = σ2 = E(X2) − [E(X)]2

Let Us Practice
Modified True or False

DIRECTION: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and if it is wrong,

change the underlined word/s or number/s to make the statement correct.

____ 1. Probability is only our guide. It does not tell us exactly what will occur.

_____2. When Ana flips a coin, the possible outcomes are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

_____3. Discrete Probability Distribution is a table listing all possible values

that a discrete variable can take on, together with the associated probabilities.

______4. Rogelio rolls a die. One of the possible outcomes in the sample space
is 7.

______5. E(X) is also called the mean of the probability distribution.

Let Us Remember

A random variable is a variable whose value is determined by the

outcome of a random experiment. It is usually denoted a capital letter (upper
case) X for the random variable and lower case x1, x2, x3,... for the values of
the random variable in an experiment.

Types of Random Variables

A discrete random variable is said to be a random variable X and it

has a finite number of elements or infinite but can be represented by whole
numbers. These values usually arise from counts.

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 Finite sets are the sets having a finite or countable number of
members. Finite sets are also known as countable sets as they can be
counted. The process will run out of elements to list if the elements of this set
have a finite number of members.
Examples of finite sets:
P = {0, 3, 6, 9, …, 99}
Q = {a: a is an integer, 1 < a < 10}
A set of all English Alphabets (because it is countable).
Infinite sets: If a set is not finite, because the number of elements in
that set is not countable and it cannot be represented in a Roster form. Thus,
infinite sets are also known as uncountable sets.
Examples of infinite sets:

• A set of all whole numbers, W= {0, 1, 2, 3, 4,…}

• A set of all points on a line
• The set of all integers

A continuous random variable is said to be a random variable Y and

it has an infinite (unaccountable) number of elements and cannot be
represented by whole numbers. Hence, values between consecutive counting
numbers could be considered such as decimals, fractions, etc. These values
usually come from measurements.

A continuous random variable is one which takes an infinite

number of possible values and usually measurements.

Example:
height
weight
The amount of sugar in an orange.
The time required to run a mile.

A discrete probability distribution is a table showing all the possible

values of a discrete random variable together with their corresponding
probabilities.

If X is a random variable with n elements, then:

1. Each of the probabilities, P(x), has value which range from 0 through 1.
2. The sum of the probabilities, P(x1) + P(x1) + P(x1) +……. = P(xn)= ∑P(x)=1

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Probability Mass Function
If X is a random variable defined by the number of heads in three tosses
of a coin, the sample space (S) would be:
S= {HHH, HHT, HTH, HTT, THH, THT, TTH, TTT}
Therefore, X = {0, 1, 2, 3}
Thus, we can say that P(0)= 1/8, P(1)= 3/8, P(2)= 3/8 and P(3)= 1/8.
The probability distribution is:
X 0 1 2 3
P(x) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8

Let Us Assess

DIRECTION: Write the letter of the answer that you think best answers the
question. Your score will reflect what you have learned in this module.

1. Suppose you toss a fair coin two times; how many possible outcomes
are there?
a. 1 b. 2 c. 4 d. 8

2. A die is rolled. What is the probability of rolling a number that is greater

than 6?
a. 0/ 6 or 0 b. 1/ 6 c. 5 /6 d. 6/ 6 or 1

3. In a family of three children, what is the probability that the middle

child is a girl?
a. 1/ 8 b. 1 / 4 c. 1 / d. 1/ 2

4. A coin is tossed thrice. What is the probability of having two heads and
a tail?
a. 1/ 8 b. 1/ 2 c. 3/ 8 d. 1

5. It is a table showing all the possible value of a discrete random variable

together with their corresponding probabilities.
a. Discrete Probability Distribution
b. Continuous Probability Distribution
c. Probability
d. All of the above

6. It is a variable that cannot be represented by a whole number.

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 a. Probability variable
b. Random variable
c. Discrete random variable
d. Continuous random variable

7. Y = dropout rate (%) in a certain high school. What are the possible
values of each random variable?
a. Y = {x│0 ≤ x ≤ 10} c. Y = {x│0 ≤ x ≤ 30}
b. Y = {x│0 ≤ x ≤ 20} d. Y = {x│0 ≤ x ≤ 100}

8. X = number of heads in tossing a coin thrice. What are the possible

values of each random variable?
a. X = {0, 1, 2, 3} c. X = {0, 2, 3}
b. X = {1, 2, 3} d. X = {1, 2, 4}

9. A glass of jar contains 40 red, green, blue, and yellow marbles. The
probability of drawing a single green marble at random is 1/5. What
does this mean?
a. There are 5 green marbles in the glass jar.
b. There are 8 green marbles in the glass jar.
c. There are more green marbles than the others.
d. There is only one green marble in the glass jar.

10. Apple got coins from his pocket which accidentally rolled on the floor.
If there were 16 probable outcomes, how many coins fell on the floor?
a. 3 b. 4 c. 8 d. 16

Let Us Enhance

DIRECTION: Analyze the problem carefully. Fill in the table correctly.

You are holding a die. Your classmate is holding another die. If both of you roll
the dice at the same time, how many outcomes are possible?

Sides of 1 2 3 4 5 6
A Die
1
2 3,2 6,2
3
4
5
6 5,6

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 Let Us Reflect

This module was about the essential ideas of random variable and
probability distribution.

In this module, students were urged and encouraged to find and

discover by themselves the concepts, the difference, the significance, and the
experimental probability. Their insights and computational abilities and skills
acquired in this module assists them with taking care of life issues, including
probabilities of occasions which would lead them to settle on better choices
throughout everyday life and to perform practical tasks to the most amazing
aspects of what they can.

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 13
Let us Enhance
SIDES OF 1 2 3 4 5 6
A DIE
1 1,1 2,1 3,1 4,1 5,1 6,1
2 1,2 2,2 4,2 5,2
3 1,3 2,3 3,3 4,3 5,3 6,3
4 1,4 2,4 3,4 4,4 5,4 6,4
5 1,5 2,5 3,5 4,5 5,5 6,5
6 1,6 2,6 3,6 4,6 6,6
Answer: There are 36 possible outcomes.
Let us Assess.
1. C Let us Practice!
2. A (probability distribution)
3. D 1.TRUE
4. C 2. H.T
3. TRUE
5. A
4. 1,2,3,4,5,6
6. D
5. TRUE
7. D
8. A
9. B
10. B
2. PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
Let Us More Practice
Let us Practice Let us Try
(Random Variable)
(random variables) (random Variables)
1. D 1. Discrete
1. {2,3}
2. Discrete
2. C 2. (4,5,6,7)
3. Continuous
3. Answer may
3. A 4. Discrete
vary
5. Discrete
4. B 4. Answer may
vary
5. C 5. (0,1,2)
1. RANDOM VARIABLE
Answer Key
 References

Beleccina, R.R., Baccay, E.S., Mateo, E.E.; Statistics and Probability for Senior High
School, 2016
Banigon, R.B. Jr.; Camilon, G.M,; Manalo B.C.; Statistics and Probability for Senior
High School, 2018

WEBSITE LINKS
https://www.intmath.com/counting-probability/2-basic-principles-counting.php
https://www.mathsisfun.com/data/random-variables.html
https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_introductory-statistics/s08-discrete-random-
variables.html
https://www.mathsisfun.com/probability_line.html
https://www.slideshare.net/jmpalero/mathematics-8-basic-concepts-of-
probability
https://byjus.com/maths/finite-and-infinite-sets/

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Region XI Davao City Division

DepEd Davao City, Elpidio Quirino Ave., Davao City

Telefax: 224-3274

Email Address: davaocity.division@deped.gov.ph

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