Tutorial # 2

Discrete and Continuous Random Variables

Question 1
a) In your own words describe a random variable, give an example to illustrate
your point.
b) What is meant by a discrete random variable?
c) Give an example of a continuous random variable.

Question 2
The discrete random variable 𝑋𝑋 has the given probability distribution.

x 1 2 3 4 5
P(X=x) 0.2 0.25 0.4 a 0.05

Find the value of 𝑎𝑎 and draw a vertical line graph to illustrate the distribution.
Find:
(i) 𝑃𝑃(1 ≤ 𝑋𝑋 ≤ 5),
(ii) 𝑃𝑃(2 < 𝑋𝑋 < 5),
(iii) the mode.

Question 3

The probability density function of a discrete random variable 𝑋𝑋 is given by

𝑃𝑃(𝑋𝑋 = 𝑥𝑥) = 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 for 𝑥𝑥 = 12,13,14.
Write out the probability distribution and find the value of 𝑘𝑘.
Question 4
x 0 1 2 3
P(X=x) 𝑐𝑐 𝑐𝑐 2 2 2
2𝑐𝑐 + 𝑐𝑐 3𝑐𝑐 + 2𝑐𝑐

The above table shows the probability distribution for a random variable X.
Calculate
(a) 𝑐𝑐,
(b) 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋).

Question 5
The random variable 𝑋𝑋 has p.d.f. 𝑃𝑃(𝑋𝑋 = 𝑥𝑥) as shown in the table:

x -2 -1 0 1 c
P(X=x) 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.1

Find the value of c if:

(a) 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋) = 0.3,
(b) 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋 2 ) = 1.8.

Question 6
The discrete random variable 𝑃𝑃(𝑋𝑋 = 𝑥𝑥) for 𝑥𝑥 = 1,2,3.
x 1 2 3
P(X=x) 0.2 0.3 0.5

Find:
(a) 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋),
(b) 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋 2 ),
(c) 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉(𝑋𝑋).
Question 7
The discrete random variable 𝑋𝑋 has probability function given by

where 𝑐𝑐 is a constant.
Determine the value of 𝑐𝑐 and hence the mode and mean of 𝑋𝑋.

Question 8
The discrete random variable 𝑋𝑋 has distribution function 𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋 (𝑥𝑥) where

1 𝑥𝑥
𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋 (𝑥𝑥) = 1 − �1 − 𝑥𝑥� , 𝑥𝑥 = 1,2,3,4
4
63 3
(a) Show that 𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋 (3) = and 𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋 (2) = .
64 4

(b) Obtain the probability distribution of 𝑋𝑋.

(c) Find 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋) and 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉(𝑋𝑋).
(d) Find 𝑃𝑃�𝑋𝑋 > 𝐸𝐸(𝑋𝑋)�.

Question 9
The continuous random variable 𝑋𝑋 has p.d.f. 𝑓𝑓𝑋𝑋 (𝑥𝑥) where
 a) Sketch 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓𝑋𝑋 (𝑥𝑥).

b) Find:
i. the value of the constant 𝑘𝑘,
ii. 𝑃𝑃(𝑋𝑋 ≤ 1),
iii. 𝑃𝑃(1 ≤ 𝑋𝑋 ≤ 2.3).

Question 10

6
Show that 𝑐𝑐 = and find the mean of 𝑋𝑋.
125

Question 11
A continuous random variable 𝑋𝑋 has a probability density function 𝑓𝑓𝑋𝑋 (𝑥𝑥) given by

2
(a) Show that 𝑘𝑘 = .
ln 3

(b) Calculate the mean and the variance.

Question 12
A continuous random variable, 𝑋𝑋, has probability density function given by

Observations on 𝑋𝑋 indicate that the mean is 1.

 a) Obtain two simultaneous equations for a and b, show that a = 1.5 and
find the value of b.
b) Find the variance of 𝑋𝑋.
c) If 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) is the probability that 𝑋𝑋 ≤ 𝑥𝑥 find 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) and verify that
𝐹𝐹(2) = 1 .
d) If two independent observations are made on 𝑋𝑋 what is the probability
1
that at least one of them is less than .
2

Question 13
The cumulative distribution function of 𝑋𝑋 is given by

Find
(a) the value of 𝑘𝑘,
(b) the probability density function 𝑓𝑓𝑋𝑋 (𝑥𝑥),
(c) the median of 𝑋𝑋,
(d) the variance of 𝑋𝑋.