Tecnológico de Monterrey

PM6014 Mathematics for Decision Making

Activity Discrete Random Variable
Created by Ing. Ziad Najjar

Solve each of the following problems

1) A pair of fair dice are rolled and the sum is registered. Let X be the discrete
random variable representing the obtained sum.

a) Construct the Probability distribution table

b) Find the probability of obtaining a sum of 7 = 6/36
c) Find the probability of obtaining a sum of at least 8 = 15/36
d) What is more likely, obtaining a sum of 6 or 8? Equally likely

X 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
P(x=1) 1/36 2/36 3/36 4/36 5/36 6/36 5/36 4/36 3/36 2/36 1/36

2) The probability distribution of a discrete random variable X is shown in the

chart.

x 0 1 2 3
P(X=x) 2K 1/6 K 1/3
2k + k = 3k = ½
1/6 + 1/3 = ½
Find:
a) The value of k
K= 1/6
b) The probability the discrete random variable taking a value of 2
1/6
c) The probability the discrete random variable taking a value less than 3
1/3 + 1/6 + 1/6 = 2/3
d) The probability the discrete random variable taking a value other than ze
1/6 + 1/5 + 1/3 = 2/3

3) Given the probability distribution table for the discrete random variable X.

x 0 1 2 3
P(X=x) K/2 K 2K 1/8
k/2 + k + 2K = 3 1/2 k = 7/8
1 – 1/8

1/3
Find:
a) Value of K
K = 1/4
b) Probability of X being at least 1
K ¼ + ½ + 1/8 = 7/8
c) Probability of X being greater than 1
½ + 1/8 = 5/8

4) Given the probability distribution table for the discrete random variable X.

x 2 8 16 30
P(X=x) 35% 20% 15% a
1 – 7/8 = 3/10
Find:
a) value of a a = 3/10 b) P(2≤x≤16 ) = 7/20 + 1/5 + 3/20 = 7/10
c) P( x>10 ) =3/20 + 3/10 = 9/20

5) Fernando is a bachelor and he lives by himself. He owns three devices that

could connect to the Internet; a smartphone, a tablet and a laptop.

X is defined as the amount of devices connected to the Internet, at a given

moment.

The probability of being connected to one device is the triple of being connected
to none.
The probability of being connected to two devices is double the probability of
being connected to one.
The probability of being connected to three devices is double the probability of
being connected to two.

a) Construct the probability distribution table

X 0 1 2 3
1/22 3/22 6/22 12/22

What is the probability that at a given moment

b) Two devices are connected?
6/22

c) At least two devices are connected?

6/22 + 12/22 = 9/11

2/3
d) No devices are connected?
1/22

3/3