Discrete Probability

Distributions

Prepared by: John AAron D. Alcantara

1
 DEFINITIONS

PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS
The probability distribution of a discrete random variable X is a
list of each possible value of X together with the probability that X
takes that value in one trial of the experiment.
The probabilities in the probability distribution of a random variable
X must satisfy the following two conditions:
1. Each probability P(x) must be between 0 and 1: 0  P(x)  1
2. The sum of the all the probabilities P(x) is 1:
Example 1:
Suppose two coins are tossed. Let X be the random variable representing the number of tails that
occur. Find the probability values P(X) to each value of the random variable.

Step 1. Determine the sample space. Let H

represent head and T represent tail. HH, HT, TH, TT
Step 2. Count the number of tails in each
Possible Outcomes Value of the random
outcome in the sample space and assign this variable X
number to this outcome. HH 0
HT 1
TH 1
TT 2

Possible outcomes of the random variable X: 0, 1, and 2

Example 1:
Suppose two coins are tossed. Let X be the random variable representing the number of tails that
occur. Find the probability values P(X) to each value of the random variable.

HH, HT, TH, TT

Possible Outcomes Value of the random
variable X
HH 0
HT 1
TH 1
Step 3. Assign probability values P(X) to each
TT 2
value of the random variable.

X P(X)
0
0
1 The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass
2 Function of Discrete Random Variable Z
1 X 0 1 2
P(X)
2
Example 2:
In a recent census, the number of televisions per household was recorded

Number of
telveisions
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of
households
1 218 32 379 37 961 19 386 7 714 2 842

a. Construct the probability distribution of X, the number of televisions per household.

b. Determine the following probabilities.
• P(X ≤ 2)
• P(X > 2)
• P(X ≥ 4)
Example 2:
In a recent census, the number of televisions per household was recorded
Number of
telveisions (X)
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of
households
1 218 32 379 37 961 19 386 7 714 2 842
a. Construct the probability distribution of X, the number of televisions per household.

Step 1. Determine the sum of the number of households.

1 218 + 32 379 + 37 961 + 19 386 + 7 714 + 2 842 = 101 500

Step 2. Assign the probability value P(X) to each value of the random variable. Reduce it to its
lowest term, if possible.

X 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(X)

The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable X
X 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(X)
Example 2:
In a recent census, the number of televisions per household was recorded

Number of
telveisions
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of
households
1 218 32 379 37 961 19 386 7 714 2 842
The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable X
X 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(X)

 
b. Determine the following probabilities.
• P(X ≤ 2)
P(X ≤ 2), we are looking for the probability that the number of televisions per household
is less than or equal to 2. Those values of X are 0, 1 , and 2. Thus,
Example 2:
In a recent census, the number of televisions per household was recorded

Number of
telveisions
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of
households
1 218 32 379 37 961 19 386 7 714 2 842
The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable X
X 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(X)

 
b. Determine the following probabilities.
• P(X > 2)
P(X > 2) , we are looking for the probability that the number of televisions per household is greater
than 2. Those values of X are 3, 4, and 5. Thus,
Example 2:
In a recent census, the number of televisions per household was recorded

Number of
telveisions
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of
households
1 218 32 379 37 961 19 386 7 714 2 842
The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable X
X 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(X)

 
b. Determine the following probabilities.
• P(X  4)
P(X ≥ 4), we are looking for the probability that the number of televisions per household is greater
than or equal to 4. Those values of X are 4 and 5. Thus,
 
Practice Problem:
The number of ships to arrive at a harbor on any given
day is a random variable represented by x. The
probability distribution for x is:

x 10 11 12 13 14
P(x) .4 .2 .2 .1 .1

Find the probability that on a given day:

a.    exactly 14 ships arrive  p(x=14)= .1
b.    At least 12 ships arrive p(x12)= (.2 + .1 +.1) = .4
c.    At most 11 ships arrive p(x≤11)= (.4 +.2) = .6
Try this!
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2. Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. Let D

represent the defective cell phone and let N represent the
non-defective cell phone. Let X be the random variable
representing the number of defective cell phones.
a. Construct a table showing the probability distribution
of X.
b. Find the probability that at most two cellphones are
defective
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Example 2:
Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. Let D represent the defective cell phone and let
N represent the non-defective cell phone. Let X be the random variable representing the number
of defective cell phones.

Step 1. Determine the sample space. Let D

represent the defective cell phone and let N
NNN, NND, NDN,DNN,
represent the non-defective cell phone. DDN, DND,NDD, DDD
Step 2. Count the number of defective cell Possible Outcomes Value of the random
phones in each outcome in the sample space variable X
and assign this number to this outcome. NNN 0
NND 1
NDN 1
DNN 1
DDN 2
DND 2
NDD 2
DDD 3
Example 2:
Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. Let D represent the defective cell phone and let
N represent the non-defective cell phone. Let X be the random variable representing the number
of defective cell phones.
Possible Outcomes Value of the random
NNN, NND, NDN,DNN, variable X
DDN, DND,NDD, DDD NNN
NND
0
1
NDN 1
Step 3. Assign probability values P(X) to each value
DNN 1
of the random variable.
DDN 2
DND 2
X P(X) NDD 2
0
0 DDD 3
1
2 The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass
1
3 Function of Discrete Random Variable X
2 X 0 1 2 3
P(X)
3
Try this!
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2. Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. Let D represent the
defective cell phone and let N represent the non-defective cell phone. Let X
be the random variable representing the number of defective cell phones.
• Find the probability that at most two cellphones are defective
The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass
Function of Discrete Random Variable X
X 0 1 2 3
P(X)

 
• Find the probability that at most two cellphones are defective.
P(X  2), we are looking for the probability of at most two cellphones are defective
  14
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3. A pair of fair dice are to be tossed, and let the
random variable X denote the sum of the points.
a. Construct the probability distribution of X.
b. Find P(X>8)
c. Find the probability that X takes an odd value.

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Example 3:
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a basket containing 5 red balls and

B
6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values
of random variable Z. BB
Step 1. Determine the sample space. Let B B
represent blue balls and R represent red balls.
R BR

B RB
R
R RR
Example 3:
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a basket containing 5 red balls and
6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values
of random variable Z.

Step 1. Determine the sample space. Let B

represent blue balls and R represent red balls. BB, BR, RB, RR
Step 2. Count the number of blue balls in each
Possible Outcomes Value of the random
outcome in the sample space and assign this variable X
number to this outcome. BB 2
BR 1
RB 1
RR 0

Possible outcomes of the random variable Z: 0, 1, and 2

Example 3:
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a basket containing 5 red balls and
6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values
of random variable Z.
  𝟓  𝟑𝟎 𝟑
BB, BR, B BBValue of the random 𝒐𝒓
  𝟔 RB, RR
Possible Outcomes
𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟏
B
variable Z
BB 2
𝟏𝟏 BR 1   𝟑𝟎 𝟑
 𝟓
Step 3. Assign probability values P(Z) to each value
of the random variable. R 𝟏𝟎
RB
RR
BR 1
0 𝟏𝟏𝟎
𝒐𝒓
𝟏𝟏
  𝟔 𝟑𝟎 𝟑
RB
 

  𝟓 B 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟏𝟎
𝒐𝒓
𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏
R
  𝟒
R 𝟏𝟎
RR  𝟐𝟎
𝒐𝒓
𝟐
𝟏𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟏
Example 3:
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a basket containing 5 red balls and
6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values
of random variable Z.

BB, BR, RB, RR Possible Outcomes Value of the random

variable Z
BB 2
BR 1
Step 3. Assign probability values P(Z) to each value RB 1
of the random variable. RR 0

Z P(Z)
0
0
1
2 The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass
1
Function of Discrete Random Variable X
2 X 0 1 2
P(X)
Try this!
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5. Find the probability distribution for X if the

balls are to be drawn with replacement.

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Example 3:
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a basket containing 5 red balls and
6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values
of random variable Z.
  𝟔   𝟑𝟔
BB, BR, B BBValue of the random
  𝟔 RB, RR
𝟏𝟏
Possible Outcomes 𝟏𝟐𝟏
B
variable Z
BB 2
𝟏𝟏 BR 1   𝟑𝟎
 𝟓
Step 3. Assign probability values P(Z) to each value
of the random variable. R 𝟏𝟏
RB
RR
BR 1
0 𝟏𝟐𝟏
  𝟔 𝟑𝟎
RB
 

  𝟓 B 𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟐𝟏
𝟏𝟏
R
  𝟓
R 𝟏𝟏
RR   𝟐𝟓
𝟏𝟐𝟏
Example 3:
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a basket containing 5 red balls and
6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values
of random variable Z.

BB, BR, RB, RR Possible Outcomes Value of the random

variable Z
BB 2
BR 1
Step 3. Assign probability values P(Z) to each value RB 1
of the random variable. RR 0

Z P(Z)
0
0
1
2 The Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass
1
Function of Discrete Random Variable X
2 X 0 1 2
P(X)