Molave Vocational Technical School

Mabini St., Molave, Zamboanga del Sur

Elective Mathematics – Statistics
Worksheet 1 - RANDOM VARIABLES AND PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

Name: Date: Score:

I.EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES

Sample Space (SS) – the set of all possible outcomes in an experiment.
Examples: List the sample space of the following experiments.
1. Tossing a coin – H, T (H for head and T for tail)
2. Rolling a die (dice) – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (These are the number of dots in a dice)
3. Rolling a die and tossing a coin simultaneously – 1H, 1T, 2H, 2T, 3H, 3T, 4H, 4T, 5H, 5T,
6H, 6T
4.
Random Variable – is a function that associates a real number to each element in the sample
space. It is a variable whose values are determined by chance.

Examples:
1. Two coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable representing the number of tails that
occur. Find the value of the random variable Y.
Note: H represents Head while T represents Tail.

Value of the random variable Y

Possible outcomes (Sample Space)
(number of tails)
HH 0
HT 1
TH 1
TT 2

2. Suppose 3 cellphones are tested at random. We want to find out the number of
defective cellphones. Let D represent the defective cellphone while N represent the
non-defective cellphone. Let X be the random variable representing the number of
defective cellphones. Find the value of the random variable X.

Value of the random variable X

Possible outcomes (Sample Space)
(number of defective cellphones)
NNN 0
NND 1
NDN 1
DNN 1
NDD 2
DND 2
DDN 2
DDD 3

Types of Random Variables

1. Discrete random variable – represents count data such as number of defective
chairs produced in a factory. The values are in whole numbers.
2. Continuous random variable – takes on values on a continues scale. It represents
measured data such as height or weight. The values include decimal.
II. CONSTRUCTING PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS
Discrete probability distribution or a probability mass function consists of the values a random
variable can assume and the corresponding probabilities of the values.
Example: Two coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable representing the number of tails
that occur. Find the value of the random variable Y and find the probability of each value.
Step 1: List all the possible outcomes and the values of the random variable Y
Value of the random variable Y
Possible outcomes (Sample Space)
(number of tails)
HH 0
HT 1
TH 1
TT 2

Step 2: Count the number of possible outcomes (in this example we have 4 possible
outcomes), identify the possible values of the random variable Y ( 0, 1 and 2), and find the
probability of each value.
The Probability Distribution table or
the Probability Mass Function of the discrete Random Variable Y
Number of tails Y 0 1 2
Probability P(Y) 1/4 1/2 1/4

 There is only 1 value of 0 in the table found in step 1 and there are 4 total possible
outcomes, therefore the probability of not getting any tail (0) is ¼
 There are 2 values of 1 in the table found in step 1 and there are 4 total possible
outcomes, therefore the probability of getting 1 tail is 2/4 or ½. (Always reduce your
final answer to its lowest term)
 There is only 1 value of 2 in the table found in step 1 and there are 4 total possible
outcomes, therefore the probability of getting 2 tails is ¼.
Properties of a Probability Distribution
o The probability of each value of the random variable must be between or equal
to 0 or 1. In symbol, we write it as 0 ≤ P (X )≤ 1.
o The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable must be equal
to 1. In symbols we write it as ∑ P ( X )=1.
More example on probability distribution
The daily demand for copies of a movie magazine at a variety store has the probability
distribution as follows,
Number Copies Y Probability P(Y)
0 0.06
1 0.14
2 0.16
3 0.14
4 0.12
5 0.10
6 0.08
7 0.07
8 0.06
9 0.04
10 0.03
Find the value of the following probabilities.
a. What is the probability that three or more copies will be demanded in a particular
day?
P ( Y ≥ 3 ) = 0.14 + 0.12 + 0.10 + 0.08 + 0.07 + 0.06 + 0.04 + 0.03
P ( Y ≥ 3 )=0.64
b. What is the probability that the demand will be atleast two not more than six?
P ( 2≤ Y ≤6 ) = 0.16 + 0.14 + 0.12 + 0.10 + 0.08
P ( 2≤ Y ≤6 )=0.60
c. What is the probability that the demand will be greater than 5 but less than or equal
to 9?
P ( 5<Y ≤9 ) = 0.08 + 0.07 + 0.06 + 0.04
P ( 5<Y ≤9 )=0.19

EXERCISES
1. Classify the following random variables as discrete or continuous. Write D or C before
each item number item. (1 point each)
a. weight of newborns each year in a hospital
b. number of siblings in a family
c. amount of paint utilized in a building project
d. speed of a car
e. time needed to finish the test
f. average amount of electricity consumed per household
g. voters favoring a candidate
h. deaths per year due to lung cancer
i. growth of a tomato plant in a month
j. number of books in the library

2. Determine whether the given values can serve as the values of a probability distribution
of a random variable X that can only take the values 1, 2, and 3. Write YES or NO on the
space provided before each item. (1 point each)
a. P(1) = 0.08, P(2) = 0.12, P(3) = 1.03
b. P(1) = 10/33, P(2) = 1/3, P(3) = 12/33
c. P(1) = 0.42, P(2) = 0.31, P(3) = 0.37
d. P(1) = 9/14, P(2) = 4/14, P(3) = 1/14
e. P(1) = 0, P(2) = 0.71, P(3) = 0.39

3. For each of the following, determine whether it can serve as the probability distribution
of a random variable X. Explain your answer. (3 points each)
1
a. P ( X )= , for x=1,2,3 , … , 8
8

1
b. P ( X )= , for x=1,2,3 , … , 9
6

3+ x
c. P ( X )= , for x=1,2,3 , 4
3−x

12
d. P ( X )= , for x=1,2,3 , 4
25 x
 x−2
e. P ( X )= , for x=1,2,3 , 4 ,5
5

4. Suppose 3 coins are tossed. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of
heads that occur. Find the values of the random variable Z.
a. Complete the table below. Add more rows if necessary. (20 points – right minus wrong)
Value of the random variable Z
Possible outcomes (Sample Space)
(number of heads)

b. Construct a probability distribution of the random variable Z. (10 points)

5. A shipment of 5 computers contains two that are slightly defective. If a retailer receives
3 of these computers at random, list the elements of the sample space using the letters
D and N for defective and non-defective computers, respectively. Find the values of the
random variable X representing the number of computers purchased by the retailer
which are slightly defective.
a. Complete the table below. Add more rows if necessary. (20 points – right minus wrong)
Value of the random variable X
Possible outcomes (Sample Space)
(number of defective)

b. Construct a probability distribution of the random variable Z. (10 points)

6. The following data show the probabilities for the number of cars sold in a given day at a
car dealer store.
Number of Cars X Probability P(X)
0 0.100
1 0.150
2 0.250
3 0.140
4 0.090
5 0.080
6 0.060
7 0.050
8 0.040
9 0.025
10 0.015
Find the value of the following probabilities. (2 points each)
a. What is the probability that no more than two cars will be sold in a day?
 b. What is the probability that more than seven cars will be sold in a day?
c. What is the probability that the cars sold in a day is atleast one but not more than
four?
d. What is the probability that at most five cars will be sold in a day?
e. What is the probability that the cars sold in a day is greater than 5 but not more than
eight?
7. What do you think is the shape of the graph of most probability distributions? Why do
you think so? (5 points)

8. Why is there a need for us to study about probability distribution? ( 5 points)