Statistics and Probability Reviewer

Random Variable
- A random variable is a function that associates a real number with each element
in the sample space. It is a variable whose values are determined by chance.
- It is a numerical description, denoted by capital letter.

Ex: X = {0, 1, 2, 3}

Types of Random Variables:

- Discrete
o A random variable that takes a finite or countable number of distinct
values. The values can be described by an integer value.
o Ex: Number of students, Number of heads in tossing two coins.
- Continuous
o A random variable that takes an uncountable infinite number of possible
values, typically measurable quantities.
o Ex: Height, Time, Distance, Temperature etc.

Other Concepts related to Probability

Experiment – is any activity that can be done repeatedly whose results vary even
conditions are the same.

Event – is a specified outcome from an experiment

Sample Space – is a well-defined set of possible outcomes.

Example:
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Probability
Probability is a numerical quantity that describes how likely an event is to occur.
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝐸 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠
𝑃 (𝐸 ) =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠

Example:

Find the probability of getting two heads in tossing a coin twice:

SS = {HH, TH, HT, TT}

𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝐸 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠 1
𝑃(𝐸) = 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 = 𝑜𝑟 0.25
4

Probability Distribution
A probability distribution is a statistical function that describes all the possible values
and likelihoods that a random variable can take within a given range. It is usually
presented as a table.

Properties of the Probabilities of Discrete Random Variables

1. The probability of each value is between 0 and 1. 𝟎 ≤ 𝑷(𝑿) ≤ 𝟏

2. The sum of all the probabilities is equal to 1. 𝚺𝑷(𝑿) = 𝟏

Example:
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Mean of Discrete Probability Distribution

The mean of a discrete probability distribution is the average of all possible values of a
discrete random variable, weighted by their probabilities.

Formula:

𝝁 = ∑ 𝑿 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)

Steps in getting the mean:

Given this probability distribution.

1. Multiply X by P(X)

2. Get the sum of X * P(X)

Therefore the mean of the probability distribution is 2.9

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Variance and Standard Deviation of Discrete Probability Distribution

Variance is a measure of how much the values in a data set differ from the mean. It helps
to describe the variability and dispersion of a data set.

Standard deviation is the square root of the variance. It provides a more interpretable
measure of the spread of the data because it is in the same units as the original data .

Formula for Variance: 𝜎 2 = ∑(𝑋 − 𝜇 )2 ∙ 𝑃(𝑋)

Formula for Standard Deviation: 𝜎 = √∑(𝑋 − 𝜇 )2 ∙ 𝑃(𝑋)

Steps in Getting the variance and Standard Deviation

Given this probability distribution :

𝐗 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗 ∙ 𝐏(𝐗)
1 0.2 0.2
2 0.2 0.4
3 0.3 0.9

Step 1: Get the Mean:

𝐗 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗 ∙ 𝐏(𝐗)
1 0.4 0.4
2 0.4 0.8
3 0.2 0.6
𝛍 = 𝟏. 𝟖

Step 2: Get the 𝐗 − 𝛍

𝐗 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗 ∙ 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗− 𝛍
1 0.4 0.4 -0.8
2 0.4 0.8 0.2
3 0.2 0.6 1.2
𝛍 = 𝟏. 𝟖

Step 3: Get the (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐

𝐗 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗 ∙ 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗− 𝛍 (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐

1 0.4 0.4 -0.8 0.640
2 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.040
3 0.2 0.6 1.2 1.440
𝛍 = 𝟏. 𝟖
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Step 4: Get 𝐏(𝐗) ∙ (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐

𝐗 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗 ∙ 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗− 𝛍 (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐 𝐏(𝐗) ∙ (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐

1 0.4 0.4 -0.8 0.640 0.256
2 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.040 0.016
3 0.2 0.6 1.2 1.440 0.288
𝛍 = 𝟏. 𝟖

Step 5: Get the sum of 𝐏(𝐗) ∙ (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐

𝐗 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗 ∙ 𝐏(𝐗) 𝐗− 𝛍 (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐 𝐏(𝐗) ∙ (𝐗 − 𝛍)𝟐

1 0.4 0.4 -0.8 0.640 0.256
2 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.040 0.016
3 0.2 0.6 1.2 1.440 0.288
𝛍 = 𝟏. 𝟖 𝟐
𝛔 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟔

Therefore, the variance of the probability distribution is 0.56

To get the standard deviation, we just get the square root of the variance.
𝛔 = √𝟎. 𝟓𝟔 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟓

Normal Distribution

A normal distribution is a distribution of a continuous random variable whose graph is

a bell-shaped curve called normal curve. It is also called as Gaussian curve in honor
of Carl Friedrich Gauss (1775-1855). The equation that described a normal curve is:

1 𝑥−𝜇 2
𝑒 2 𝜎 )
− (
𝑌=
𝜎√2𝜋

Properties of the Normal Distribution

1. Its curve is bell-shaped.

2. The mean, median, and mode are equal and located at the center of the distribution.
3. The normal distribution curve is unimodal.
4. The curve is symmetrical about the mean.
5. The curve is continuous.
6. The curve is asymptotic with respect to the x-axis.
7. The total area under the normal distribution curve is equal to 1 or 100%
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Standard Normal Distribution – is a normal distribution with the mean located at 0,

and the standard deviation is located at 1.

Z-Score – It is the values at the horizontal axis are the values of the random variable Z.
It tells how many standard deviations away an individual data value falls from the mean.

Z-table – It is a table that tells what percentage of values fall below a certain z-score in a
standard normal distribution.

Finding the Area under the Normal Curve

Case 1: Getting the area to the left of Z.

Thus, the area to the left of z = 0.6 is 0.7257

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Case 2: Getting the area to the right of Z.

Steps:

1. Get the opposite sign of the given z.

2. Read the area of the opposite sign of z.

Example: Find the area to the right of z = -1.62

1. Get the opposite sign of z.

z = 1.62
2. Read the area of 1.62 on the Z-table.

P(z > -1.62) = 0.9474

Case 3: Getting the area between two z-values.

Steps:

1. Get the area to the left of the lowest z-value.

2. Get the area to the left of the highest z-value.
3. Subtract the Area of the highest z-value by the lowest
z-value.

Example: Find the area between z = -0.7 and z = 1.31

1. Get the area to the left of the lowest z-value.

P(Left of -0.7) = 0.2420

2. Get the area to the left of the highest z-value.

P(Left of 1.31) = 0.9049

3. Subtract the Area of the highest z-value by the lowest z-value.

P(-0.7 < z < 1.31) = 0.9049 – 0.2420

P(-0.7 < z < 1.31) = 0.6629

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Case 4: Getting the area of z is less than a or z is greater than b.

Steps:

1. Get the area to the left of a.

2. Get the area to the right of b.
3. Add the areas.

Example: Find the area of z is less than 0.08 or z is greater than 2.41.
1. Get the area to the left of a.

P(Left of 0.08) = 0.5319

2. Get the area to the right of b.

P(Right of 2.41) = 0.0080

3. Subtract the Area of the highest z-value by the lowest z-value.

P(-0.7 < z or z > 1.31) = 0.5319 + 0.0080

P(-0.7 < z or z > 1.31) = 0.5399

Transforming a Normal value to Standard Normal Value

𝑿−𝝁
Formula: 𝒛 = 𝝈

Example:
Locate the z-values that correspond to a Mathematics score of 42.
Given that 𝛍 = 𝟑𝟐, 𝛔 = 𝟒.

Step 1: Use the computing formula for finding the z-score.

𝑿−𝝁
𝒛=
𝝈

Step 2: Substitute the given values in the formula. 𝛍 = 𝟑𝟐, 𝛔 = 𝟒, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐗 = 𝟒𝟐

𝟒𝟐 − 𝟑𝟐
𝒛=
𝟒
Step 3: Compute the z-value.
𝟒𝟐 − 𝟑𝟐 𝟏𝟎
𝒛= = = 𝟐. 𝟓
𝟒 𝟒
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Transforming a Standard Normal Value to Normal Value

Formula: 𝒙 = 𝝁 + 𝒛𝝈

Example:
Given that the mean 𝝁 = 𝟐𝟒 and 𝝈 = 𝟑 find the normal random value when z = 1.5

Step 1: Use the computing formula for finding the z-score.

𝒙 = 𝝁 + 𝒛𝝈

Step 2: Substitute the given values in the formula. 𝛍 = 𝟐𝟒, 𝛔 = 𝟑, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐳 = 𝟏. 𝟓

𝒙 = 𝟐𝟒 + 𝟏. 𝟓(𝟑)

Step 3: Compute the z-value.

𝒙 = 𝟐𝟒 + 𝟏. 𝟓(𝟑)
𝒙 = 𝟐𝟒 + 𝟒. 𝟓
𝒙 = 𝟐𝟖. 𝟓

Tips on taking a Math Exam

1. Get enough Sleep!

Magsosolve kayo kaya make sure na enough yung tulog niyo para gumana ang
brain cells.

2. Relax and Answer the questions in any order.

Pagmahirap yung isang item, skip niyo muna then balikan niyo nalang para di kaagad
maubos yung time niyo.

3. Eliminate wrong choices.

Pag hindi alam ang sagot, try niyo mag eliminate ng mga choices na impossible maging
sagot bago manghula.

If you guess your answer, the probability that your answer is correct is 1 out of 4 or
25%. But if you eliminate two choices, the probability that your answer is correct will
become 1 out 2 or 50%!

Good Luck! – Sir Justin