Random Variables

Probability is a mathematical term for the

likelihood of something to happen.
Every time we perform an experiment, we are
concerned about the end result. The end result can
give the value or the number associated with the
outcome. A set of possible values from a random
experiment is called random variable.
It is a quantitative variable represented by an upper
case letter X. It is called random because it can take
different values. Lower case letter x is used to
represent the actual values from the experiment.
Types of Random Variables:
1. Discrete Random Variable can only take a finite
number of distinct values. It has countable number of
possible values. Example: the number of dogs a
family has, the number of children in a family, the
number of light bulbs that are working in a box of 20,
etc.
2. Continuous Random Variable It can take infinitely
many possible values that are measured on a
continuous scale. Example: time, length, weight,
the length of randomly selected phone call, volume of
softdrink in a can, position, etc.
 When two coins are tossed what is the probability of the
number of heads to occur?
Experiment : Tossing two coins
Sample space: {(head, head), (head, tail), (tail, head), (tail,
tail)}
Random variable: X = Number of heads
Random variable values: [2, 1, 0]
Events for each random variable value:
Event for X = 2: {(head, head)}
Event for X = 1: {(head, tail), (tail, head)}
Event for X = 0: {(tail, tail)}
 Probabilities for each random variable value:
P (X = 2) =
P (X = 1) = 2/4 or
P (X = 0) =

Relative frequencies for X are , and .

Relative frequency the probability of a value of a discrete

random variable.
 Probability Distribution is the cross-tabulation of the
random variable values together with their respective relative
frequencies.
Random Variable values: x 2 1 0
Probabilities: P(X=x)
 Probability Distribution on the number of
heads when two coins are tossed.
0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
2 1 0
Permutation