SOUTHERNSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Camella Homes IV, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GRADE 11- STEM, ABM and GAS
CORE SUBJECT: STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY
SY 2022 – 2023

Lesson #3
Topic: DISCRETE PROBABILITY DISTRUBITION (Random Variable, Types of Random Variable, Discrete
Probability Distribution, Probability Histogram, Mean of a Discrete Random Variable, Variance and Standard Deviation
of a Discrete Random Variable, Application of Discrete Random Varaiable: Expected Outcome)

Objectives : a. illustrate a random variable (discrete and continuous);

b. distinguish between a discrete and a continuous random variable;
c. find the possible values of a random variable;
d. illustrate a probability distribution for a discrete random variable and its properties;
e. state and explain the properties of a discrete probability distribution (or a probability mass
function);
f. construct the probability mass function of s discrete random variable and its corresponding
histogram;
g. compute probabilities corresponding to a given random variable;
h. illustrate the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable;
i. calculate the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable;
j. interpret the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable; and
k. solve problems involving mean and variance of probability distribution.

Random Variable

A random variable is a variable that assumes numerical values associated with the random outcomes of an experiment,
where one (and only one) numerical value is assigned to each sample point.

Two Types of Random Variable

Discrete random variable can only take a finite (countable) number of distinct values. Distinct values mean that are exact
and can be represented by nonnegative whole numbers. Random variables that can assume a countable number (finite or
infinite) of values.

A continuous random variable can assume an infinite number of values in an interval between two specific values. This
means they can assume values that can be represented not only by nonnegative whole numbers but also by fractions and
decimals. These values are often results of measurements. Random variables that can assume values corresponding to any
of the points contained in one or more intervals (i.e., values that are infinite and uncountable).

Example 1. Discrete Random Variable

Example 2. Continuous Random Variable

Discrete Probability Distribution

It is listing of all possible values of a discrete random variable along with their corresponding probabilities.

It can be represented in tabular, graphical, or formula form.

The following properties must be satisfied before a distribution can be considered a discrete probability distribution:
1. The probability of each value of a discrete random variable is between 0 and 1 inclusive.
0≤𝑃(𝑥)≤1
2. The sum of all the probability is 1.
∑〖𝑃(𝑥)=1〗

Probability Histogram

The values of the discrete random variable x are set on the horizontal axis of the graph and the probabilities are set on the
vertical axis.

The values of x are placed on the center of each bar when constructing a histogram.

Example 3.

A card is drawn from a deck of 20 cards (i.e., all cards numbered 1 to 5 in a standard deck) and random variable W gives
the number on the card. Construct the probability mass function and its corresponding histogram.

Mean of a Discrete Random Variable

The mean μ of a discrete random variable is the central value or average of its corresponding probability mass function. It
is computed using the formula
n
μ=∑ xi p(x i)
i=1
where x i is the i th outcome and p(x i) is the probability of the i th outcome.

Example 4.

Find the mean of the probability distribution involving the random variable X that gives the number of heads that appear
after tossing four coins.

Number of 0 1 2 3 4
Heads (X)
Probability 0.0625 0.25 0.375 0.25 0.0625
(P(x))

Example 5.

The probabilities that a printer produces 0, 1, 2, and 3 misprints are 42%, 28%, 18% and 12%, respectively. Construct a
probability mass function and then compute the mean value of the random variable.

Example 6.

A coin is tossed and a die is rolled. The outcome of the coin is recorded “1” when its shows a head and “0”when it shows
a tail. The random variable R gives the sum of the outcomes of the coin and the die. Compute the average value of the
random variable.
Variance and Standard Deviation of Discrete Random Variable

The variance and standard deviation are two values that describe how scattered or spread out the scores are from the mean
value of the random variable. The variance, denoted as σ 2, is determined using the formula:

n
σ 2=∑ (x i−μ)2 p ( x¿ ¿i¿) .¿ ¿
i=1

The standard deviation σ is the square root of the variance, thus,

√∑
n
σ= (x i−μ)2 p (x¿¿ i¿). ¿ ¿
i=1

The following steps will simplify the process of computing the variance and standard deviation:
1. Compute the mean value of the random variable.
2. Subtract each value and square the differences.
3. Multiply the squared differences by the corresponding probabilities.
4. Add all the products. This gives the variance of the probability distribution.

Example 7.

Compute the variance and standard deviation of the two probability distributions (with the same μ of 5) presented earlier.
Interpret the values.

X P(x) ( x−μ) ¿ ¿
2 0.25 -3 9 2.25
4 0.25 -1 1 0.25
6 0.25 1 1 0.25
8 0.25 3 9 2.25

Applications of Discrete Random Variable: Expected Outcome

Suppose a random variable X assume i number of possible values x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ,. . . , x i and the corresponding probability of
each value is given by p ( x 1) , then the expected value for X, is denoted as E( X) , is equal to the mean value of the
probability distribution. Thus,
n
E ( X ) =∑ x 1 p( x ¿¿ 1). ¿
i=1

Example 8.

A card is drawn from a deck of cards numbered through 5. A player wins Php100 if the number on the card is even and
losses Php100 if the number on the card is loss. What is the expected value of his winnings?

Example 9.

A lottery that pays off Php300,000,000 is made available Php10,000,000. Each ticket costs Php50.00. Suppose the
variable Z gives that the net winnings from playing lottery. What is the expected gain for joining lottery?