Probability Distributions for

Discrete Random Variables

 What does variance mean?
Variance (σ2) in statistics is a
measurement of the spread between
numbers in a data set. That is, it
measures how far each number in the set
is from the mean and therefore from
every other number in the set.S
What does standard deviation
mean?
Standard deviation is a number used to
tell how measurements for a group are
spread out from the average (mean), or
expected value. A low standard deviation
means that most of the numbers are close
to the average. A high standard deviation
means that the numbers are more spread
out.
 Discrete
Probability Distribution

The probability distribution of a discrete

random variable is a graph, table, or formula
that specifies the probability associated with each
possible value the random variable can assume.
 Requirements for the
Probability Distribution of a
Discrete Random Variable x
1. p(x) ≥ 0 for all values of x
2.  p(x) = 1

where the summation of p(x) is over all possible

values of x.
 Discrete Probability
Distribution Example
Experiment: Toss 2 coins. Count number of
tails.
Probability Distribution
Values, x Probabilities, p(x)
0 1/4 = .25
1 2/4 = .50
2 1/4 = .25

© 1984-1994 T/Maker Co.

 Summary Measures
Calculation Table

x p(x) x p(x) x– (x – )2 (x – )2p(x)

Total xp(x) (x p(x)

 DISCRETE PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTION

x p(x) x p(x) x– (x – ) 2 (x – ) 2p(x)

0 .25 0 –1.00 1.00 .25

1 .50 .50 0 0 0
2 .25 .50 1.00 1.00 .25
 = 1.0 2 = .50 variance
mean  = .71
standard deviation
A laboratory supervisor in a Type
III hospital is investigating number
of reported on-the-job training
accidents over a period of one
month. Based on past records, she
has derived the following
probability distribution for x; wher
x is the number of reported
accidents per month.
Accidents Reported P(x)

0 0.50
1 0.25
2 0.10
3 0.10
4 0.05
Find the mean, variance & standard
deviation
 Solutions
x P(x) xP(x) x-u (x-u)^2 (x-u)^2*P(x)
0 0.50 0 -0.95 0.9025 0.4513
1 0.25 0.25 0.05 0.0025 0.0006
2 0.10 0.20 1.05 1.1025 0.1103
3 0.10 0.30 2.05 4.2025 0.4203
4 0.05 0.20 3.05 9.3025 0.4651
variance
mean = 0.95 = 1.4476
sd = 1.2032
Conclusion:
1. If the data are the same, the
lesser the mean the effectiveness of
the data.
2. If the data are not the same we
cannot conclude that the least
computed mean is the best. So...
3. The lesser the variability the
more consistent its average or
mean.