CONSTRUCTING PROBABILITY

DISTRIBUTIONS

Properties of a Probability Distribution

1. The probability of each value of the random variable must be
between or equal to 0 and 1.
0 ≤ P(X) ≤ 1
2. The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable
must be equal to 1.

∑ P( X) = 1
 Example 1. If two coins are tossed ,the possible outcomes are HH, HT,TH
and TT. X is the random variable for the number of head.
POSSIBLE VALUE OF THE RANDOM
OUTCOMES VARIABLE X
S= { HH,HT,TH,TT} ( N0.0F HEADS)

HH
2
HT 1
TH 1

TT 0

No. of Head , X 0 1 2
Probability ,P(x) 1/4 2/4 or 1/2 1/4
No. of Head , X 0 1 2

Probability ,P(x) 1/4 2/4 or 1/2 1/4

1) 0 ≤ P(X) ≤ 1 Yes
2.)∑ P( X) = 1

P(X)= ¼ + ½ + ¼ =1 Yes
 Example 2. Supposed three coins are tossed, let Y be the random variable
representing the number of tails. Construct the probability distribution and
draw the histogram.
Possible Value of the
No. of tails ,Y 0 1 2 3
outcome Random variable y
( No. of tails)
Probability, P(Y) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8
HHH O

PROBABILITY Y
HHT 1

HTH 1
HTT 2
0
THH 1
1
THT 2
2
TTH 2
3
NO.OF TAIL
TTT 3
Example 3. Determine the sample space for the three true or false quiz . Find the random
variable X which represents the number of true occur, then construct the probability
distribution and draw the histogram.
QUIZ

TRUE FALSE 1ST QUESTION

TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE

2ND QUESTION

TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE

3RD QUESTION

TTT TTF TFT TFF FTT FTF FFT FFF

S={ TTT,TTF,TFT,TFF,FTT,FTF,FFT,FFF}
Possible Value of the
outcome Random variable X No. of true ,x 0 1 2 3
( No. of TRUE)
TTT 3 Probability (x) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8
TTF 2

PROBABILITY X
TFT 2
TFF 1
0
FTT 2
1
FTF 1
2
FFT 1
3
FFF 0 NO.OF TRUE
X= ( 0,1,2,3)
Example 4. A basketball team has to play 3 games during the elimination round of a
tournament. Let X be the random variable representing the winning games. Find the
probability of each of the values of the random variable X.
Possible Value of the
outcome Random variable y No. of winning , X 0 1 2 3
( No. of tails)
Probability, P(X) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8
WWW 3

PROBABILITY Y
WWL 2
WLW 2
LWW 2
0
WLL 1 1
LWL 1 2
LLW 1 3
LLL O NO.OF WINNING
Activity
time!