TOPIC: Finding possible values of a Random Variables

GIVE ME MY SAMPLE SPACE

Each team will complete the table by SAMPLE SPACE
identifying the sample space for the
given event. EVENT
1. Tossing a coin
2. Rolling a die
3. Tossing two coins
4. Rolling two dice

Guide Questions:
1. How many outcomes did you have in tossing a coin? ___________
2. How many outcomes did you have in rolling a die? _____________
3. How many outcomes did you have in tossing two coins? _________
4. How many outcomes did you have in rolling two dice? ___________
5. How did you represent the outcomes of each event? __________________________________________________
The purpose of using random variable is so that we could measure observations and process data to make a conclusion about the population.
So what are the possible values of a random variable, you might ask?
Below are some random variables with their corresponding possible values.
Random Variable Description Set of Possible Values

V marital status of teachers Single, married, widow, …

W number of dots after rolling a die 1,2,3,4,5,6

X tossing a coin Heads, Tails

Y tossing two coins HT, HH, TH, TT

Z household pet being raised Dog, cat, mouse, snake, rabbit

As a statistician, you must be able to identify the set of possible values of your random variable even before conducting your survey.

Understanding Probability distribution

A probability distribution is a statistical function that describes all the possible and likelihoods that a random
variable can take within a given range. This range will be bounded between the minimum and maximum possible
values but precisely where the possible value is likely to be plotted on the probability distribution depends on a
number of factors. These factors include the distribution’s mean (average), standard deviation, skewness, and
kurtosis.
Probability distributions describe the dispersion of the values of a random variable. Consequently, the kind of
variable determines the type of probability distribution.

Activity 1
1. Three voters are asked whether they are in favor of online education. Each voter’s response is recorded as
’Yes (Y)’ or ’No (N)’. Let O be the random variable representing the number of Yes (Y) votes that occur.
Complete the table below to find the possible values of Y.
Possible Outcomes Value of Random Variable O
( number of Yes (Y) votes)
YYY 3
YYN 2
YNY
NYY
YNN
NYN
NNY
NNN

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 In the study of random events, you should be interested in determining the possible values of a random
variable and its probability that will have a particular value.
Example 1. Suppose you are to test three random eggplants from a harvest to see if there are worms in it. You want to
find out the number of eggplants attacked by worms. Use W to represent if there is a worm attack in an eggplant and
N if there is none.

Note: The letters W and N are not random variables but are used to represent the possible outcome upon
checking an eggplant. X is the random variable representing the number of eggplants attacked by worms.

Value of Random Variable X

Possible Outcomes (number of eggplants with The possible values of the
worm attacks) There is a random variableoutcomes
total of 8 possible X are with 4
NNN distinct possible values of X. We now assign the
NNW 0, 1,values
probability 2, andof3.
each.
NWN
NWW
WNN
WNW
WWN
WWW
Number of eggplants Probability P(X)
with worm attacks X
There are 8 possible outcomes and only 1 of them had no worm at all.
0 1
So the probability that we shall assign is .
8
There are 8 possible outcomes and 3 of them have exactly 1 eggplant
1 3
attacked by worms. So the probability that we shall assign is .
8
There are 8 possible outcomes and 3
of them have 2 eggplants attacked by
2 3
worms. So the probability that we shall assign is .
8
There are 8 possible outcomes and only 1 of them had all 3 eggplants
3 1
attacked by worms. So the probability that we shall assign is .
8

The table shown on the previous page is what we call the probability distribution or probability mass function of the random variable.
We can graph the distribution in the form of a histogram as presented below.

What is a histogram?
A histogram is like a bar graph but has no spaces in between the bars. Investigate the heights of the bars and compare
it with the probabilities written in the table above. What have you noticed?
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Example 2. Suppose that four coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable
representing the number of heads that occur.

In this example, the random variable Y represents the number of heads that occur when tossing four coins.
We have defined the sample space and their corresponding values as shown in the table below.
Possible Outcomes Value of Random Variable Y
HHHH
HHHT
HHTH
HHTT
HTHH
HTHT
HTTH
HTTT
THHH
THHT
THTH
THTT
TTHH
TTHT
TTTH
TTTT

There are 5 distinct possible values of which are 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. We now assign the probability values of
each, as shown below.
Number of Heads Y Probability P(Y)
Let’s stop and think for a moment.

Can you explain why the probability values P(Y) are like that?
Where did the denominator 16 come from? How about the
numerator values 1, 4, 6, 4, and 1? Where did they come
from?

Getting the sum of all probabilities in the distribution we get

1 4 6 4 1 16
+ + + + = ∨1. The histogram of the
16 16 16 16 16 16
distribution is shown below

Lesson 2. Probability Distribution of Discrete Random Variables

Activity 1 (page 7)
1. Three voters are asked whether they are in favor of online education. Each voter’s response is recorded as ‘Yes (Y)’ or
‘No(N)’. Let O be the random variable representing the number of Yes(Y) votes that occur. Complete the table below to
find the possible values of Y.
Possible Value of Random Variable O Probability of Yes
Outcomes (number of Yes(Y) votes) No. of Yes (Y) P(Y)
O
YYY
1
YYN
2
YNY
3
NYY
Total
YNN
Solve for the Probability by the formula
NYN
P=No. of Yes/Total No. of Possible Outcome
NNY
NNN
YYY
Total No. of 8
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 Possible Outcomes:
What I Can Do – Activity 1 (page 11)
Consider the histogram above. Answer the question. Answer:
1.
What is the probability of getting more than 2 yes?
2.
What is the probability of getting more than 1 yes?
3.
What is the probability of getting at least 2 yes?
4.
What is the probability of getting at most 1 yes?
5.
What is the probability of getting 1 or 2 yes?
6.
What is the probability of getting pure yes?
7.
What is the probability of getting no yes?

What I Can Do – Activity 2

1. 1. Solution:
X 1 3 5 7 9
P(X) 1 1 1 1 1
4 4 4 4 4

Valid/Not Valid:____________
Reason: ______________
2. 2. Solution:
X 0 1 2 3 4
P(X 1 1 1 1 1
) 5 5 10 5 5

Valid/Not Valid:____________
Reason: ______________
3. 3. Solution:
X 1 2 3 4
P(X) 1 1 1 1
3 6 3 6

Valid/Not Valid:____________
Reason: ______________
4. 4. Solution:
X 3 6 9 12
P(X) 1 2 1 1
5 5 5 5

Valid/Not Valid:____________
Reason: ______________
5. 5. Solution:
X 1 3 5 7
P(X) 0.25 0.20 0.45 0.15

Valid/Not Valid:____________
Reason: ______________

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 NAME: ___________________________________________________
Each team will complete the SAMPLE SPACE
table by identifying the sample
space for the given event.
EVENT
1. Tossing a coin

2. Rolling a die

3. Tossing two coins

4. Rolling two dice

Guide Questions:
1. How many outcomes did you have in tossing a coin? ___________
2. How many outcomes did you have in rolling a die? _____________
3. How many outcomes did you have in tossing two coins? _________
4. How many outcomes did you have in rolling two dice? ___________
5. How did you represent the outcomes of each event? _________________________________________

NAME: ___________________________________________________
Each team will complete the SAMPLE SPACE
table by identifying the sample
space for the given event.
EVENT
1. Tossing a coin

2. Rolling a die

3. Tossing two coins

4. Rolling two dice

Guide Questions:
1. How many outcomes did you have in tossing a coin? ___________
2. How many outcomes did you have in rolling a die? _____________
3. How many outcomes did you have in tossing two coins? _________
4. How many outcomes did you have in rolling two dice? ___________
5. How did you represent the outcomes of each event? _________________________________________
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