ENERGIZER

LESSON 2: EXPLORING
RANDOM VARIABLES
Lesson Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you are

expected to:
• illustrate a random variable
(M11/12SP-IIIa-1) ;
• find the possible values of a random
variable (M11/12SP-IIIa-3).
ACTIVITY1: Pre-Assessment
Recap:
The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment
is called the sample space.
ACTIVITY 2: DRILL

If three coins are tossed, what

numbers can be assigned for
the frequency of tails to occur?
(show answer)
Example 1
Tossing Three Coins
Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the random
variable representing the number of tails that occur. Find
the values of the random variable Y. Complete the table
below.
 Solution to Example 1

The possible values of the random variable Y are 0, 1,

2, and 3.
 ACTIVITY 2: DRILL

Suppose three cell phones are tested at

random. We want to find out the number
of defective cell phones that occur. Thus,
to each outcome in the sample space we
shall assign a value, what numbers can be
assigned for the frequency of defective
cellphones to occur? (show answer)
 Discussion Points
Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. We
want to find out the number of defective cell phones
that occur. Let D be the defective and N for non
defective.
Possible Outcomes
NNN NDD
NND DND
NDN DDN
DNN DDD
 Discussion Points

The possible values of this random variable X are 0, 1,

2, and 3.
 Discussion Points
To each outcome in the sample space we shall assign
a value.
0 - If there is no defective cell phone
1- if there is 1 defective cell phone
2- if there are two defective cell phones
3 -if there are three defective cell phones

The number of defective cell phones is a random

variable.
What is a random variable?

A random variable is a function that

associates a real number to each element
in the sample space. It is a variable whose
values are determined by chance.
Example 2: Let’s try this together…
Drawing Balls from an Urn
Two balls are drawn in succession without
replacement from an urn containing 5 red balls and 6
blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing
the number of blue balls. Find the values of the
random variable Z. Complete the table below.
 Solution to Example 2

The possible values of the random variable Z are 0, 1,

and 2.
 Discussion Points
A random variable is a discrete random variable if its
set of possible outcomes is countable. Mostly,
discrete random variables represent count data, such
as the number of defective chairs produced in a
factory.

For Example 1, the possible values of random variable

Y are 0, 1, 2, and 3. The possible values for random
variable Z in Example 2, are 0, 1, and 2. Random
variables Y and Z are discrete random variables.
Discussion Points

A random variable is a continuous random

variable if it takes on values on a continuous
scale. Often, continuous random variables
represent measured data, such as heights,
weights, and temperatures.
 Discussion Points
Example of Continuous Random Variable

Suppose an experiment is conducted to

determine the distance that a certain
type of car will travel using 10 liters of
gasoline over a prescribed test course. If
distance is a random variable, then we
have an infinite number of distances that
cannot be equated to the number of
whole numbers.
 ACTIVITY 3: WRAP UP
1. WHAT IS RANDOM VARIABLE?
2. HOW IS RANDOM VARIABLE
DETERMINED?
OUTPUT#3: ½ CW

Four coins are tossed. Let Z be the random

variable representing the number of heads that
occur. Find the values of the random variable Z.
 HOMEWORK: 1 WHOLE; OUTPUT#4

1. A shipment of five computers contains two

that are slightly defective. If a retailer receives
three of these computers at random, list the
elements of the sample space S using the
letters D and N for defective and non-defective
computers, respectively. To each sample point
assign a value x of the random variable X
representing the number of computers
purchased by the retailer which are slightly
defective.
2. Let T be a random variable giving the number of
heads plus the number of tails in three tosses of a
coin. List the elements of the sample space S for the
three tosses of the coin and assign a value to each
sample point.
 REFLECTION #2
IT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING BUT
NOT LIMITED TO:
-HOW WELL DID YOU DO THIS DAY?
-NEW THINGS YOU’VE LEARNED.
-TOPIC/S THAT NEED/S MORE
CLARIFICATION
-YOUR PERSONAL INSIGHTS FOR THE
DAY’S LESSON.