CONCEPT OF A RANDOM VARIABLE

RANDOM VARIABLE - is a function whose value is a real number

determined by each element in the sample
space.

Two Types of Random Variables

•Discrete Random Variable is a random variable
where the sample space contains a finite number of
possibilities or an unending sequence with as many
elements as there are whole numbers.

•Continuous Random Variable is a random variable

where the sample space contains an infinite number
of possibilities equal to the number of points on a
line segment.
Classify the following Random Variables as
discrete or continuous.

1. The number of automobile accidents in Cebu.

2. The length and time to play 9-ball billiards
game
3. The amount of milk produce by a particular cow
4. The number of eggs laid each month by 1 hen
5. The number enrollees in Adamson University in
1 semester
6. The weight of rice in lbs. produced per year
 Discrete Probability Distributions

A table or formula listing all possible values that a

discrete random variable can take on along with
associated probabilities
 The function f(x) is a probability function or a
probability distribution of the discrete random
variable X if, for each possible outcome x,

1. f ( x)  0.
2.  f ( x)  1.
x

3. P( X  x)  f ( x).
 Continuous Probability Distributions

The function with values f(x) is called a Probability

Density Function for the continuous random variable x if
the total area under its curve and above x - axis is equal
to 1
 The function f(x) is a probability density function
for the continuous random variable X, defined over
the set of real numbers R, if
1. f ( x)  0 for all x.

2.  f ( x) dx  1.

b
3. P( a  X  b)   f ( x) dx.
a
 Specific values of
random variable is
denoted by x
 Also called probability
mass function f(x)
 P (X=x) = f(x)
 Can be represented in
table or list
 P(x=x) = f(x) ≥ 0
  f (x) = P (s) = 1
 Specific values of
random variable is
denoted by x
 Also called probability
density function f(x)
 P (x=x) = 0
 Can be represented as
graph or formula
 P (a x b)= f(x)dx ≥0
where f(x) ≥ 0
 P(-∞<x<∞)=f(x)dx
P(s) = 1

Discrete Random Continuous Random

Variable Variable
1. The experiment is flipping a coin twice. If the random variable
is the number of heads on two flips. Make a probability
distribution table.

2. Rolling a dice twice. If the random variable is the number of

dots, Make a probability distribution table.

3. A coin is tossed three times. Let X denote the number of heads

that come up. Make a probability distribution table
4. Find the probability distribution of boys and girls in families
with 3 children, assuming equal probability for boys and girls.
The random variable X represents the number of boy in the
family. EXPRESS YOUR ANSWER IN FORMULA AND TABULAR
FORM
5. A salesman schedules 5 calls a day. If X is the number of sales made
in 1 day, then
6-x / 15 if x=1,2,3,4,5
f(x) =
0 otherwise

A. Is f(x) a discrete probability distribution?

B. Find the probability that the salesman makes
1. Only one sale a day
2. At least 2 sales a day

6. Let W be a random variable giving the number of Heads

minus the number of tails in three tosses of a coin. List the
element of the sample space for the three tosses of the
coin and each sample point assign a value w of W
7. Find the probability distribution for the number
of JAZZ records when 4 records are selected at
random from a collection consisting of 5 Jazz, 2
Classical and 4 Polka records. Express your
answer by means of formula.

8. If a car agency sells 50% of its inventory of a

certain car equipped with air bags, find a formula
for the probability distribution of the number of
cars with airbags among the next 4 cars sold by
the agency.
9. A shipment of 8 similar microcomputers to a retail
outlet contains 3 that are defective. If a school
makes a random purchase of 2 of these computers,
find the probability distribution for the number of
defectives.
Continuous Probability
Probability Density Function
For each value x in the range of a continuous random variable
X we can define the value of the probability density function
f(x) in such a way that P(a < X < b) = the integral of f(x) from a
to b. I.e., the probability that X falls between two points is the
area under f(x) between the two points. The density function
follows the rules that 0 <= f(x) <= 1, the integral of f(x) from -
infinity to +infinity = 1, and P(a < X < b) = integral of f(x) from a
to b. The cumulative distribution function F(x) associated with
X is defined for all real numbers as F(x) = the integral of f(t)
from -infinity to x.
A continuous random variable is a random variable where
the data can take infinitely many values. For example, a
random variable measuring the time taken for something to
be done is continuous since there are an infinite number of
possible times that can be taken.

For any continuous random variable with probability density

function f(x), we have that:
Example:
1. A continuous random variable X that can assume values
between x=1 and x=4 has a density function given by
f(x)= 1/3
a) Show that the area under curve is equal to 1
b) Find P (1.5 < X < 3)
c) Find P ( X ≥ 2.2)
Example:
2. Suppose that the error in the reaction temperature in °C,
for a controlled laboratory experiment is a continuous
random variable having the probability density function
2
given by f(x)= X / 3 for -1 < x < 2 and 0 for elsewhere
a) Show that the area under curve is equal to 1
b) Find P (0< X ≤ 1)
Example:
3. The proportion of people who respond to a certain mail
order solicitation is a continuous random variable with
probability density function given by f(x)= 2(x + 2) / 5
for 0 < x < 1 and 0 for elsewhere
a) Show that the area under curve is equal to 1
b) Find the probability that more than ¼ but fewer than
½ of the people contacted will respond to this type of
solicitation.
Example:
4. Let X be the random variable that denotes the life in
hours of a certain electronic device the probability density
3
function is f(x)= 20,000/ x for x >100 and 0 for
elsewhere
a) Find P( X> 200)
b) Find P( X < 150)
Example:
5. The IE’s of Metropolitan Construction company has been
able to set up the probability density function of the time
in weeks to complete a small contract. The contract
completion time is 7 weeks the pdf:
x/10 – 1/8 for 2  x < 6
f(x)=
5/8 – x/16 for 6 ≤ x ≤ 10
0 for elsewhere

a) What percent of the time does the company fail to

comply with the contract?
b) What is the probability that a small contract will be
finished within 5 to 12 weeks?