Random

Variables
Random Variables
- is a set whose elements are the
numbers assigned to the outcomes of an
  denoted by
experiment. It is usually
uppercase letters such X, whose elements
are denoted by lower case letters, , , , and
so on.
Population
- is a collection of individuals,
objects or numerical data obtained
by measurements.

Sample
- is a subset of a population.
Types of Random
Variables
A random variable X is said to be discrete
random variable if it has a finite number
elements or infinite but can be represented by
whole numbers. These values usually arise
from counts.

A random variable Y is said to be continuous

random variable if it has infinite number of
elements and cannot be represented by whole
numbers. These values usually arise from
measurements.
Example:
A teacher’s record has the following (a) Scores of
Student in a 50-item test, (b) Gender, (c) Height of the
students
Let X = Scores of students in a 50-item test
Y = Gender
Z = Height of the students

Classify each variable above as discrete or continuous.

Answer:
X is a discrete random variable because the
scores of the students are represented by whole
numbers.
Y is also a discrete random variable because
male and female could be coded 0 = female and 1
= male, and thus, could be counted
Z is a continuous random variable because
between two values of height, there are always
infinite numbers of possible values for height, thus
making representation to be impossible.
Probability
Distribution
Probability
- is the chance of an event occurring.
Discrete Probability Distribution
- is a table showing all the possible values
of a discrete random variable together with
their corresponding probabilities.
Properties Discrete Probability Distribution

If X is a random variable with n elements, then

1. Each of the probabilities , Pr(x) , has value
 
which range from 0 through 1.

2. The sum of the probabilities, Pr() + Pr() + Pr()

+ … + Pr() = ΣPr(x) = 1
Example # 1

Is the distribution below a discrete

probability distribution?
Y 1 3 5

Pr(x) 0.11 0.33 0.56

Answer
The distribution must satisfy that (a) each
probability value P(Y =y) must be from 0
through 1, and (b) the sum of the probailities
P(Y =y) is 1.
a. All probability values are between 0 and 1.
b. The sum of the probability values
0.11 + 0.33 + 0.56 = 1

Therefore, the distribution is a discrete probability

distribution.
Example # 2
Box A and Box B both contain the
numbers 1,2, 3, and 4. Write the
probability mass function and draw
the histogram of the sum when one
number from each box is taken at a
time, with replacement.
Answer
Let X be the random variable represented by the
sum of the outcomes. The 16 possible outcomes grouped
according to their sums are:
2 = (1, 1)
3 = (1, 2), (2,1)
4 = (1,3), (3,1), (2,2)
5 = (1,4), (4,1), (2,3), (3,2)
6 = (2,4), (4,2), (3,3)
7 = (3,4), (4,3)
8 = (4,4)
Hence, the probability mass function and its histogram
are as follows:
Hence, the probability mass function and its
histogram are as follows:
Possible Outcomes Pr(x)
2 1/16
3 1/8
4 3/16
5 ¼
6 3/16
7 1/8
8 1/16
ΣPr(x) 1.00
Mean, Variance and
Standard Deviation
for Probability
Distribution
Mean of Discrete Probability
Distribution
-The mean of the probability
distribution is obtained as the sum
of the product of the possible
outcomes and the probability of the
outcome.
Mean of Discrete Probability
Distribution
-The mean of the probability
distribution is obtained as the sum
of the product of the possible
outcomes and the probability of the
outcome.
Formula:
µ = Σ[x • Pr(x)]
Where
µ - is the mean of the probability
x – is the possible outcome
Pr(x) – is the probability of the
outcome
Example
What is the mean outcome if a dice is rolled?
Answer:
Let Y be the random variable defined by the outcomes. Since the
dies is fair, each of the outcomes has a probability. , thus the
expected value per roll is;  
µ = Σx • Pr(x)
= 1() +2 () + 3 () + 4 () + 5 () + 6 ()
= + + + + +
=
µ = 3.5
Variance of Discrete Probability
Distribution
- the variance denoted by of any
random variable X, could be computed
  of the product of
by getting the average
the squared deviations from the mean of
X and their corresponding probabilities.
Formula:
=Σ
Standard Deviation of Discrete
Probability Distribution
- denoted “s” of the probability
distribution are used to measure the
spread or validity of  finite number of
values.
Formula:
s=
or s =
Example
When two coins were toss
repeatedly and record the
occurrences of the number of tails,
what will be the mean of the
occurrences of the number of tails?
 Possible No. of Tails Pr(x) x • Pr(x)
Outcomes (x)
Solution TT 2 0.25 0.5
S = { TT, HH, TH, HT }
HH 0 0.25 0
TH 1 0.25 0.25
HT 1 0.25 0.25
Mean
µ = Σ[x • Pr(x)]
= 2(0.25) + 0(0.25) + 1(0.25) + 1(0.25)
= 0.5+ 0 + 0.25 +0.25
µ=1
 Possible No. of Tails (x) Pr(x) Pr(x)
Outcomes
TT
TT 22 0.25
0.25
HH 0 0.25
4 1
Solution
HH S = { TT, HH,0TH, HT } 0.25
0 0
TH 1 0.25
TH 1 0.25 1 0.25
HT 1 0.25
HT 1 0.25 1 0.25
=Σ
 
= - =-1
= ( 1 + 0 + 0.25 + 0.25) – 1
= 1.5 – 1
= 0.5
Variance
=Σ
= - =-1
= ( 1 + 0 + 0.25 + 0.25) – 2.25
= 1.5 – 1
= 0.5

Standard Deviation
 
s=
s=
s = 0.71
Activity:
Classify each random variable as Discrete or Continuous.

1. X : Number of women among 10 newly hired teachers

2. Y : Height ( in inches ) of a randomly selected adult male
3. Z : Number of car accidents among 8 selected cities
4. A : Amount of rainfall ( in mm) in the different cities in
Metro Manila
5. B : Number of gifts received by 20 students during
Christmas season.
Activity
The number of inquiries received per day by the Office of Admission in a certain university is shown below.
Find the mean, variance and standard deviation.

Number of Inquiries Probability Pr(x)

25 0.17
18 0.12
41 0.27
10 0.07
32 0.21
24 0.16