RANDOM

VARIABLE AND
PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTION
 AT THE LESSON, YOU ARE EXPECTED
TO:
• DEFINE A RANDOM VARIABLE.
• DIFFERENTIATE DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE TO
CONTINUOUS RANDOM VARIABLE.
• DETERMINE THE VALUES OF RANDOM VARIABLES AND
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION OF RANDOM VARIABLE.
• COMPUTE PROBABILITIES CORRESPONDING TO GIVEN
RANDOM VARIABLES.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
RANDOM VARIABLE
• A random variable is a result of chance event, that you can measure or
count.
• A random variable is a numerical quantity that is assigned to the outcome
of an experiment. It is a variable that assumes numerical values
associated with the events of an experiment.
• A random variable is a quantitative variable which values depends on
change.
NOTE: We use capital letters to represent a random
variable.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
EXPERIMENT
• Any procedure that can be infinitely repeated and has
a well-defined set of possible outcomes.
example: tossing a coin
SAMPLE SPACE
• The arrangement of every possible outcomes of an
experiment.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLES
• has a countable number of possible values
Example:
Number of pen in a box
Number of bananas in the basket
Number of Grade 11 Students
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONTINUOUS RANDOM VARIABLES
• One which takes an infinite number of possible
outcomes.
• Are usually measurements.
Example:
Amount of antibiotics in a vial
Length of electric wire
Weight of newborn in the hospital
DETERMINE WHETHER THE FOLLOWING ARE
DISCRETE OR CONTINUOUS RANDOM VARIABLE.

1. Number of planets around the sun discrete

2. Height of Grade 11 students continuous
3. Time taken to run a race continuous
4. Number of pages in a book discrete
5. Number of people in a race discrete
 DETERMINING THE
VALUES OF DISCRETE
RANDOM VARIABLES
EXAMPLE 1
SUPPOSE TWO COINS ARE TOSSED AND WE
ARE INTERESTED TO DETERMINE THE
NUMBER OF TAILS THAT WILL COME OUT.
LET US USE T TO REPRESENT THE NUMBER
OF TAILS THAT WILL COME OUT.
DETERMINE THE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLE T.
EXAMPLE 1
STEPS SOLUTION
1. List the sample space S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}
2. Count the number of tails in each OUTCOME Number of Tails
outcome and assign this number to (Value of T)
this outcome. HH 0

HT 1

TH 1

TT 2

3. Conclusion The values of the random variable T

(number of tails) in this experiment
are 0, 1 and 2.
EXAMPLE 2
TWO BALLS ARE DRAWN IN SUCCESSION
WITHOUT REPLACEMENT FROM AN URN
CONTAINING 5 ORANGE BALLS AND 6
VIOLET BALLS. LET V BE THE RANDOM
VARIABLE REPRESENTING THE NUMBER
OF VIOLET BALLS. FIND THE VALUES OF
THE RANDOM VARIABLE V.
EXAMPLE 2
STEPS SOLUTION
1. List the sample space S = {OO, OV, VO, VV}
2. Count the number of tails in each OUTCOME Number of Violet Balls
outcome and assign this number to (Value of V)
this outcome. OO 0

OV 1

VO 1

VV 2

3. Conclusion The values of the random variable V

(number of violet balls) in this
experiment are 0, 1 and 2.
EXAMPLE 3
A BASKET CONTAINS 10 RED BALLS
AND 4 WHITE BALLS. IF THREE BALLS
ARE TAKEN FROM THE BASKET ONE
AFTER THE OTHER, DETERMINE THE
POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLE R REPRESENTING THE
 EXAMPLE 3
STEPS SOLUTION
1. List the sample space S = { RRR, RRW, RWW, WRR, WWR, WRW, WWW, RWR,
WWW}
2. Count the number of tails in OUTCOME Number of Red Balls
each outcome and assign this (Value of R)

number to this outcome. RRR 3

RRW 2
RWW 1
WRR 2
WWR 1
WRW 1
RWR 2
WWW 0
3. Conclusion
The values of the random variable R (number of red
balls) in this experiment are 0,1, 2, and 3.
EXAMPLE 4
FOUR COINS ARE TOSSED. LET T BE
THE RANDOM VARIABLE
REPRESENTING THE NUMBER OF
TAILS THAT OCCUR. FIND THE
VALUES OF THE RANDOM VARIABLE
T.
 EXAMPLE 4

STEPS SOLUTION
1. List the sample space
S = {HHHH, HHHT,
HHTH, HHTT, HTHH,
HTHT, HTTH, HTTT,
THHH, THHT, THTH,
THTT, TTHH, TTHT,
TTTH, TTTT}
STEPS SOLUTIONOUTCOME Number of tails
(Value of T)
2. Count the number of tails in HHHH 0
each outcome and assign this HHHT 1

number to this outcome. HHTH 1

HHTT 2
HTHH 1
HTHT 2
HTTH 2
HTTT 3
THHH 1
THHT 2
THTH 2
THTT 3
TTHH 2
TTHT 3
TTTH 3
TTTT 4
 EXAMPLE 4

STEPS SOLUTION
3. Conclusion
The values of the random
variable t (number of tails)
in this experiment are 0,1,
2, 3 and 4.
DETERMINE THE
PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTION
 PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION
• IT IS A MATHEMATICAL FUNCTION THAT
DESCRIBES THE PROBABILITY OF DIFFERENT
POSSIBLE VALUES OF A VARIABLE.
EXAMPLE 1 Suppose two coins are tossed and we are interested to determine the
number of tails that will come out. Let us use T to represent the number
of tails that will come out. Determine the values of the random variable
T.
STEPS SOLUTION
1. List the sample space S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}
2. Count the number of tails in each OUTCOME Number of Tails
(Value of T)
outcome and assign this number to HH 0
this outcome.
HT 1

TH 1

TT 2

The values of the random variable T

(number of tails) in this experiment
are 0, 1 and 2.
EXAMPLE 1 Suppose two coins are tossed and we are interested to determine the
number of tails that will come out. Let us use T to represent the number
of tails that will come out. Determine the values of the random variable
T.

STEPS SOLUTION
3. Construct the frequency
Number of Tails Number of Occurrence
distribution of the values of the (Value of T) (Frequency)
random variable T. 0 1

1 2

2 1

Total 4
EXAMPLE 1 Suppose two coins are tossed and we are interested to determine the
number of tails that will come out. Let us use T to represent the number
of tails that will come out. Determine the values of the random variable
T.
STEPS SOLUTION
4. Construct the probability Number of Tails Number of Probability
distribution of the random (Value of T) Occurrence P(T)
(Frequency)
variable T by getting the
0 1 1/4
probability of occurrence of each
value of the random variable. 1 2 2/4 or 1/2

2 1 1/4

Total 4 1

This can written as follows:

T 0 1 2
P(T) 1/4 2/4 or 1/2 1/4
EXAMPLE 1 Suppose two coins are tossed and we are interested to determine the
number of tails that will come out. Let us use T to represent the number
of tails that will come out. Determine the values of the random variable
T.
STEPS SOLUTION
5. Construct the probability 4
histogram. 4
3
4

2
4

1
4
 A basket contains 10 red balls and 4 white balls. If three balls are taken from
EXAMPLE 2 the basket one after the other, determine the possible values of the random
variable R representing the number of red balls.
STEPS
STEPS SOLUTION
SOLUTION
1.1.List
Listthe
thesample
samplespace
space S = { RRR,
S RRW, RWW,OV,
= {OO, WRR, WWR,
VO, VV}WRW, WWW, RWR,
WWW}
2.2.Count
Countthethenumber
numberofoftails
tailsinin each OUTCOME Number of Red Balls
OUTCOME Number
(ValueofofViolet
R) Balls
each outcome and assign this
outcome and assign this number to (Value of V)
number to
this outcome.this outcome. RRR
OO
3
0
RRW 2
RWW OV 11
WRR VO 21
WWR 1
VV 2
WRW 1
TheRWR
values of the random 2variable V
(number
WWW of violet balls) in0 this
experiment
The values are 0,variable
of the random 1 and 2.R (number of red
balls) in this experiment are 0,1, 2, and 3.
 A basket contains 10 red balls and 4 white balls. If three balls are taken from
EXAMPLE 2 the basket one after the other, determine the possible values of the random
variable R representing the number of red balls.
STEPS
STEPS SOLUTION
SOLUTION
3.1.Construct the frequency
List the sample space S =of{OO,
Number OV, VO,Number
Red balls VV}of Occurrence
distribution of the values of (Value of R) (Frequency)
2. Count the number of tails in each
the random variable R. OUTCOME Number of Violet Balls
outcome and assign this number to (Value of V)
this outcome. 0 OO 1 0

1 OV 3 1
VO 1
2 3
VV 2
3 1
The values of the random variable V
Total
(number of violet balls) in8 this
experiment are 0, 1 and 2.
 A basket contains 10 red balls and 4 white balls. If three balls are taken from
EXAMPLE 2 the basket one after the other, determine the possible values of the random
variable R representing the number of red balls.
STEPS
STEPS SOLUTION
SOLUTION
4.1.Construct the probability
List the sample space NumberSof=Red
{OO, OV, VO,
Number of VV}Probability
distribution of the random balls Occurrence P(T)
2. Count the number of tails in each
(Value of R) OUTCOME
(Frequency) Number of Violet Balls
variable R by getting the
outcome and assign this number to (Value of V)
probability of occurrence
this outcome. 0 OO 1 01/8
of each value of the
random variable. 1 OV 3 13/8

2 VO 3 13/8
3 VV 1 21/8
Total The values of the
8 random variable
1 V
(number of violet balls) in this
experiment are 0, 1 and 2.
 A basket contains 10 red balls and 4 white balls. If three balls are taken from
EXAMPLE 2 the basket one after the other, determine the possible values of the random
variable R representing the number of red balls.
STEPS
STEPS SOLUTION
SOLUTION
5.1.Construct the probability
List the sample space
8
S = {OO, OV, VO, VV}
histogram.
2. Count the number of tails in each 7 OUTCOME Number of Violet Balls
outcome and assign this number to 6 (Value of V)
this outcome. 5
OO 0

OV 1
4
VO 1
3
VV 2
2
The values of the random variable V
(number
1 of violet balls) in this
experiment
0
are 0, 1 and 2.
0 1
2 3
ACTIVITY
A meeting of envoys was attended by 4
Koreans and 2 Filipinos. If three envoys
were selected at random one after the other,
determine the values of the random variable
K representing the number of Koreans.
Construct the probability distribution of the
random variable K.
EVALUATION
DIRECTIONS: READ CAREFULLY EACH ITEM. WRITE
THE LETTER OF THE BEST ANSWER FOR EACH TEST
ITEM.
1. If three coins are tossed, which is NOT a possible
value of the random variable for the number of tails?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
EVALUATION
DIRECTIONS: READ CAREFULLY EACH ITEM. WRITE
THE LETTER OF THE BEST ANSWER FOR EACH TEST
ITEM.
2. Which of the following is a discrete random variable?
A. Length of electrical wires
B. Number of pencils in a box
C. Amount of sugar used in a cup of coffee
D. Voltage of car batteries
EVALUATION
DIRECTIONS: READ CAREFULLY EACH ITEM. WRITE
THE LETTER OF THE BEST ANSWER FOR EACH TEST
ITEM.
3. It is a variable that has a countable number of
possible values.
A. Continuous random variable
B. Discrete random variable
C. Random variable
D. Sample space
EVALUATION
DIRECTIONS: READ CAREFULLY EACH ITEM. WRITE
THE LETTER OF THE BEST ANSWER FOR EACH TEST
ITEM.
4. How many ways can a "double" come out when you
roll two dice?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8
 EVALUATION
DIRECTIONS: CLASSIFY THE FOLLOWING RANDOM
VARIABLES AS DISCRETE OR CONTINUOUS.
6. The weight of the professional boxers.
7. The number of defective COVID-19 Rapid Antibody
Test Kit.
8. The area of lots in an exclusive subdivision
9. The number of recovered patients of COVID-19 per
province
10. The number of students with Academic Excellence in a
school per district
ASSIGNMENT
DIRECTIONS: CONSTRUCT THE PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTION OF THE RANDOM VARIABLE.

Number of Defective COVID-19 Rapid Antibody Test

Kit
Suppose three test kits are tested at random. Let D
represent the defective test kit and let N represent the non-
defective test kit. If we let X be the random variable for the
number of defective test kits, construct the probability
distribution of the random variable X.