Statistics and

Probability
Quarter 3 – Module 2:
Distinguishing Between a Discrete
and a Continuous Random Variable

CO_Q3_Statistics and Probability SHS

Module 2
Statistics and Probability
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 3 – Module 2: Distinguishing Between a Discrete and a Continuous Random
Variable
First Edition, 2021

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 Statistics and
Probability
Quarter 3 – Module 2:
Distinguishing Between a Discrete
and a Continuous Random
Variable
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each

SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you
will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can
best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And
read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
distinguish between a discrete and a continuous random variable. The scope of this
module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language
used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lesson is arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them
can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module has one lesson:

• Lesson 1 – Distinguishing between a Discrete and a Continuous
Random Variable.

After going through this module, you are expected to distinguish random variables
as discrete or continuous.

What I Know

Before studying this module, take this pre-test to find out how much you already
know about the topic covered. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. How is the variable, as described in Algebra, similar to a random variable?

A. Both variables can take on assigned numerical values.
B. Both variables correspond to assigned specific probability.
C. Both variables take on assigned intervals instead of numbers.
D. Both variables can only take on specific numerical values
assigned to them.

2. A variable that can assume any value between two given points is called:
A. Continuous random variable.
B. Discrete random variable.
C. Irregular random variable.
D. Uncertain random variable.

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3. Discrete random variable is a numerical quantity derived from the outcome
of an experiment that can be:
A. Counted.
B. Manipulated.
C. Measured .
D. Traced.

4. Continuous random variable is a numerical quantity derived from the outcome

of an experiment that can be:
A. Counted.
B. Manipulated.
C. Measured.
D. Traced.

5. You decide to collect a bunch of bottles of soft drink and measure the volume
of soft drink in each bottle. Let X be the number of ml of soft drink in each
bottle. What type of variable is X?
A. X is a constant.
B. X is a place holder.
C. X is a discrete random variable.
D. X is a continuous random variable.

6. Which of the following statements describes a discrete random variable?

A. The length of span of a 10-month-old baby.
B. The average increase in height of a baby each year.
C. The average increase in weight of a baby each year.
D. The number of avocados produced by an avocado tree each year.

7. Which of the following is a discrete random variable?

A. Cardo’s height.
B. Cardo’s weight.
C. Cardo’s temperature.
D. Cardo’s number of owned cars.

8. Which of the following is a continuous random variable?

A. The cat has 2 eyes.
B. The cat has 2 kittens.
C. The cat has 4 paws.
D. The cat weights 5.4 kg.

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9. Which of the following statements describes a continuous random variable?
A. The average life span of a dog.
B. The number of face mask in a pack.
C. The number of shoppers in a certain mall.
D. The number of COVID-19 patients in a certain hospital.

10. Which of these is NOT a discrete random variable?

A. The number of absentees in a class.
B. The number of deaths per year attributed to lung cancer.
C. The average amount of electricity consumed per household per month.
D. The number of people who drives through a red light each day
during rush hour.

11. Which of the following statements DOES NOT describe a discrete

random variable?
A. The number of siblings in your family.
B. The height of your brother in centimeters.
C. The number of affected individuals by COVID-19 pandemic.
D. The number of qualified family in “Social Amelioration Program.”

12. Which of the following is NOT a continuous random variable?

A. Amount of water in a pail.
B. A person’ s height each year.
C. A person’s weight on each birthday.
D. Number of cars manufactured in a factory each day.

13. Which of the following statements DOES NOT describe a continuous

random variable?
A. The amount of sugar in a cup of coffee.
B. The amount of water in a cup of coffee.
C. The average earnings per day in a cafeteria.
D. The number of cups of coffee sold in a cafeteria during lunch.

14. The distance that a cyclist rides each day is what sort of variable?
A. Continuous.
B. Discrete.
C. Ordinal.
D. Qualitative.

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 15. The time it takes a chef to cook a specific dish (x) is a continuous random
variable. Why do you think the variable x in the statement becomes
continuous?
A. The variable x is continuous because it takes a range of values.
B. The variable x is continuous because it takes an integral value.
C. The variable x is continuous because it takes a countable
values.
D. The variable x is continuous because it takes a specific numerical
value.

How did you find the pre-test? Did you get a perfect score? If yes, very good! You may
skip this module and proceed to the next module. But, if you failed to get it right, do
not be hesitant to learn new concepts because it only indicates that you need to
ponder yourself by exploring this module. By that, you will acquire the proper way
on how to deal with those situations. The next time you encounter those scenarios,
things would be easy for you.

Focused carefully on the details that will be presented and discussed in this module
so that you will be able to understand the proper procedures in answering those
problems.

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 Lesson
Distinguishing Between a Discrete
1 and a Continuous Random Variable

Every day, we often read, hear, or even use the word random. You may hear someone
say, “We randomly decided to go out for shopping yesterday.” But is this really a
random event? No, this is a decision that was made on the basis of other variables,
such as desire and the lack of satisfaction with other options, such as TV viewing.

The word random has a different meaning in the field of statistics. Something is
random when it differs by chance. For example, when a coin is tossed twice, the
possible outcomes that can occur are {HH, HT, TT, TH} where H represents heads
and T represents tails, the observed outcomes on any one toss is random.

This module will help you understand the process of distinguishing between a
discrete and a continuous random variable.

What’s In

Remember that a variable is a quantity that may change within the context of
a mathematical problem or experiment. Typically, we use a single letter to represent
a variable. The letters x, y, and z are common generic symbols used for variables. In
this lesson, we shall discuss variables that are associated with probabilities called
random variables.

Notes to the Teacher

To be able to arrive in an accurate and similar answer, the
teacher must advise the learners to browse their notes
about experiment, outcomes, event, and sample space.

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To find out if you are ready to learn this new lesson, do the following.

List the sample space of the following experiments.

Experiment Sample Space
1. Flipping a coin.

2. Rolling a die.

3. Drawing a card at random from a deck of 6

identical card suits labeled 1 to 6.

4. Spinning the wheel shown, assuming that the

arrow will never fall on the lines separating the 8
sectors.

5. Rolling a die and tossing a coin simultaneously.

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 What’s New

To understand how one distinguishes between a discrete and a continuous random

variable, do the activity below.

Complete the following table. The first one is done for you.

Experiment Number X Possible Value of X

Two cards are drawn from a Sum of the numbers on 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
deck. the cards drawn. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20

(since, the least

number in the card is
2 and the highest is
10; therefore, the
smallest possible
sum of the numbers
on the cards when
two cards are drawn
is 4, while the
highest possible sum
of the numbers on
the cards is 20)
Roll a pair of dice. Sum of the number of
dots on the top faces.
Toss a fair coin repeatedly. Number of tosses until
the coin lands head.
Height of individuals. Height of each member
of the family.
(You must only use a meter
stick or ruler and avoid using a
carpenter’s rule because you
might accidentally get loss of it
and will end up wounding your
fingers or hand.)

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This time, you need to reflect on the following questions because it will help you to
understand the appropriate way of classifying a random variable. Answer the
following questions:

1. How do you find the activity?

2. Were you able to complete the table? If yes, how? If no, why?

3. If a random variable takes on values on continuous scale, it is a continuous

random variable. If a random variable takes on outcomes that are countable
then it is a discrete random variable. Now, will you be able to classify those
experiments in activity 1 as discrete or continuous? If yes, how? If no, why?

4. In your own words, how will you differentiate discrete and continuous random
variables?

What is It

In Algebra, “variable” means one thing - an unknown value. Meanwhile, you will
come across different types of variables in statistics. Some of these are: categorical
variable (variable that can be put into categories like tooth paste brands); ordinal
variable (similar to categorical variable, but there is a clear order like socioeconomic
status ); quantitative variable (a broad category that includes any variable that can
be counted or has a numerical value associated with it); qualitative variable (a broad
category that for any variable that can’t be counted) and there’s a lot more variable
that you may encounter in the field of statistics, but our focused in this module, is
on random variable.

A random variable is a function that associates a real number with each element in
the sample space. It is a variable whose values are determined by chance. Thus, in
simple words, a random variable is a numerical quantity that is derived from the
outcomes of a random experiment and commonly denoted by capital letters, such as
X, Y, and Z.

In the experiment of tossing a coin, the number of times the coin turns up a head is
an example of random variable. Below are some examples of random variable.

a. Suppose two dice are rolled. The sum of the two numbers that faced up is an
example of a random variable. This variable may take on integers from 2 to 12.

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b. Suppose the spinner shown below is spun.

An example of a random variable for this experiment is the number of times that the
spinner stops at number 3.

There are two types of random variables: the discrete and continuous random
variables.

Types of Random Variables

Discrete Continuous

A discrete random variable A continuous random

is a random variable whose variable is a random
values are represented by variable that takes values
count data. This happens on a continuous scale. This
when the set of possible happens when the set of
outcomes from an possible outcomes from an
experiment can be experiment cannot be
counted, such as the counted but can be
number of households in a measured, such as height
barangay; thus, making of Grade 11 students.
the values of the random Continuous random
variable countable just like variables represent
whole numbers 0, 1, 2, and measured data like height,
3. weight, and temperature.

Figure 1. Diagram of the Types of Random Variables

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Now, let us try to take a look at some examples of random variables from the table
below.
Table 1. Examples of Random Variables

Experiment Number X or the Random Possible Values of

Variable X Random Variable X
1. Flipping a pair of Number of heads in four flips of a
0, 1, 2, 3, 4
coin. coin.
2. Flipping a pair of Number of tosses until the coin
1, 2, 3, 4, …
coin repeatedly. lands tails.
3. Set of integers . Integers from 2 to 6. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
4. Set of real numbers. Real numbers from 2 to 6. 2<x<6
5. Life span of your Time until your iPhone battery
0<x< ∞
iPhone battery. become defective.

As shown in the table above, examples 1, 2, and 3 are all discrete while examples 4
and 5 are continuous.

Example 6. Brand Z is a company that manufactures batteries. They record the

number of defective batteries that are contained in each box before it
is sent out for delivery. If X is the number of defective batteries per
box, then what type of random variable is X?

Solution. X is a discrete random variable, and X can be a set {0, 1, 2, …, n}

where n is the total number of batteries in each box.

Example 7. Suppose Brand Z in example number 6 wants to check the average

life span of their batteries. If Y is the average number of days that
each battery lasts, then what can you conclude about the variable Y?

Solution. We can conclude from above, that Y is a continuous random variable.

It may be assigned time intervals that corresponds to each battery’s
life span.

Because of the way the discrete random variable is defined, we can say that the range
of values that can be assigned to it is confined to the set of whole numbers. That is,
a discrete random variable may NOT take on non-integers.

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 What’s More

Independent Activity 1.
Look back and reflect.

1. How do you determine the values of a random variable?

2. How do you know whether a random variable is continuous or discrete?

3. What is the difference between the two types of random variables?

Independent Assessment 1.

Classify the following random variables as discrete or continuous.

1. the speed of a tricycle.

2. the number of female students.

3. the time needed to finish the module.

4. the amount of sugar in a cup of coffee.

5. the number of defective mobile phones produced by a manufacturer.

Independent Activity 2.
Determine whether each of the following experiments/situations involves a discrete
random variable or a continuous random variable.
1. Choosing an even number less than 150.

2. Gathering information about the average monthly electric consumption in a

certain household.
3. Tallying the number of families in a certain barangay that has one child.

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Independent Assessment 2.
Identify whether the given experiment involves a discrete random variable or a
continuous random variable. Write your answer on a separate answer sheet.

1. Getting the temperature of a patient admitted in a hospital.

2. Collecting data about the weights of students in a certain school.

3. The number of patients admitted in the hospital due to COVID-19.

4. The number of no work, no pay workers in a certain municipality caused by

pandemic.

5. The number of families that are members of 4P’s in Quezon.

6. The number of Balikbayan OFWs who arrived in the Philippines.

7. The number of text messages received by a particular individual in a day.

8. The number of possible outcomes in rolling a die.

9. The amount of liquid in a 12-ounce can of soda.

10. The number of fouls committed by a basketball team during the games.

What I Have Learned

Give your answer in the following statements.

1. A well - defined function from a sample space to the set of real numbers is
called a _______________________. It is commonly denoted by capital letters,
such as X, Y, and Z. The specific values of a random variable are denoted by
small letters, such as x, y, and z.

2. A random variable is a _______________________if its set of possible outcomes is

countable. Mostly, discrete random variables represent count data, such as
the number of enrolled students in a particular school.

3. A random variable is _______________________if it takes on values on a

continuous scale. Often, continuous random variables represent measured
data, such as heights, weights, temperatures, and lifespan.

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 What I Can Do

This time, it’s your time to shine. Answer the following questions.

1. Eight students were asked to solve the Rubik’s cube. The time it took for
them to complete the puzzle is summarized in the table below.

Time (in min) Less than 1 - 2 min 2 - 3 min Greater than

1 min 3 min

Number of
children who
2 2 3 1
completed the
Rubik’s cube.

Classify what type of random variable is shown.

2. Suppose a Meter-man Apprentice was told by his superior to measure the

voltage of a certain electric outlet. The voltage reading ranges from 118 V <
x < 122 V. Does the scenario represent a discrete or a continuous random
variable?

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 Assessment

Let us test how far you understood the lesson on random variables. Answer the test
below. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper. I believe that with your effort
and determination, you can do it once again!
1. A set of numerical values assigned to a sample space is called:
A. Random sample.
B. Random variable.
C. Random Process.
A. Random experiment.

2. Which of the following best describes a variable that can be counted?

A. Categorical.
B. Continuous.
C. Discrete.
D. Ordinal.

3. Which of the following best describes a variable that can be measured?

A. Categorical.
B. Continuous.
C. Discrete.
D. Ordinal.

4. You decided to order a pizza but you have to choose the type of crust and the
toppings. If there are only six possible combinations of ordering a pizza, from
which of the following should you choose?
A. Crust: thin or deep dish
Toppings: cheese or pepperoni
B. Crust: thin or deep dish
Toppings: cheese, bacon, or pepperoni
C. Crust: thin or deep dish
Toppings: cheese, bacon, sausages, or pepperoni
D. Crust: thin or deep dish
Toppings: cheese, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, or hotdog

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5. A drawer has two red ties, three black ties, and five blue ties. A tie is picked
at random. What is the total number of possible outcomes?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 5
D. 10

6. Which of the following statements describes a continuous random variable?

A. The number of students present in a class.
B. The average distance traveled by a jeep in a week.
C. The number of correct guesses on a multiple-choice test.
D. The number of women taller than 68 inches in a random sample of 5
women.

7. Which of the following is a continuous random variable?

A. Height of sunflower as measured each day.
B. Number of gadgets a business sells per day.
C. Number of people attending mass every Sunday.
D. Number of people eating at the restaurant every day.

8. Which of the following is a discrete random variable?

A. Hipolito weighs 65 kg.
B. Hipolito is 160 cm tall.
C. Hipolito has two brothers.
D. Hipolito ran 100 meters in 10.2 seconds.

9. Which of the following variables is a discrete random variable?

A. Lifetime of an AAA battery.
B. The amount of gasoline in a car.
C. Number of goals of a football team.
D. The time it takes to commute to work.

10. Which of the following is NOT a discrete random variable?

A. Height of rose as measured each day.
B. Number of appliances a business sells each day.
C. Number of people went to church every Sunday.
D. Number of students who comes late in going to school each day.

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11. Which of the following statements DOES NOT describes a discrete random
variable?
A. The number of children who do household chores every day.
B. The average amount of milk consumption of a baby each day.
C. The number of students who excelled in mathematics in a certain
grade level.
D. The number of children who love to pray a rosary every 6 o’clock in
the afternoon.

12. Which of the following statements DOES NOT describes a continuous

random variable?
A. The distance traveled by a truck in an hour.
B. The average height of a coconut tree each day.
C. The number of provinces belonging to Region IV-A.
D. The intensity of an earthquake that happens last month.

13. Which of the following is NOT a continuous random variable?

A. The amount of water in a jug.
B. The length of time attending a webinar.
C. The number of OFWs who traveled abroad each day.
D. The height of the tallest mountain in the Philippines.

14. You decide to collect a bunch of cans of soda and measure the volume of
soda in each can. Let x be the volume of soda in each can. What type of
variable is x?
A. x is a constant.
B. x is a place holder.
C. x is a discrete random variable.
D. x is a continuous random variable.

15. You decided to conduct a survey of families with two children. You are
interested in counting the number of girls (out of 2 children) in each family.
Is this a random variable?
A. Yes, it is a random variable.
B. No, it is not a random variable.
C. Maybe, it is a random variable.
D. Cannot be determined.

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 Additional Activities

Answer the following.

Identify whether the given experiment involves a discrete random variable or a

continuous random variable. Write D if discrete and C if continuous.

_____ 1. Getting the distance travelled by a car.

_____ 2. Collecting data about the weights of students in a certain school.
_____ 3. The temperature in Quezon at noon times.
_____ 4. Picking a multiple of 3 less than 200.
_____ 5. Tallying the number of PUI (Person Under Investigation) due to
COVID-19 pandemic.

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 Module 2
CO_Q3_Statistics and Probability SHS 18
What I Know What's In
1. A 1. S = {H, T}
2. S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
2. D
3. S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
3. A 4. S = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16}
5. S = {H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6,
4. C
T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6}
5. D
6. D What's New
7. D
Roll a pair of dice = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
8. D 11, 12
9. A Flip a pair of coins repeatedly = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…
10.C
Height of individual = answer may vary
11.B
Reflection questions 1 - 4. answer may vary
12.D
13.D
14.A
15.A
Answer Key
 Module 2
CO_Q3_Statistics and Probability SHS 19
What’s More
Independent Activity 1
1. Discrete variables are countable while continuous variables are
measurable.
2. Discrete variable can take on only integer values whereas
continuous variable can take on any value.
3. Answer may vary.
Independent Assessment 1
1. Continuous
2. Discrete
3. Continuous
4. Continuous
5. Discrete
Independent Activity 2
1. Discrete random variable
2. Continuous random variable
3. Discrete random variable
Independent Assessment 2
1. Continuous random variable
2. Continuous random variable
3. Discrete random variable
4. Discrete random variable
5. Discrete random variable
6. Discrete random variable
7. Discrete random variable
8. Discrete random variable
9. Continuous random variable
10. Discrete random variable
 Module 2
CO_Q3_Statistics and Probability SHS 20
What I Have What I Can Do
Learned 1. The time it takes for a child to complete
1. Random variables the Rubik’s cube is a continuous random
variable since a child could have finished
2. Discrete
the puzzle in 1.2 minutes or 2.5 minutes
3. Continuous and so on.
2. The voltage of a certain electric outlet
is a continuous random variable.
 Module 2
CO_Q3_Statistics and Probability SHS 21
Assessment Additional Activities
1. B 1. C
2. B 2. C
3. A 3. C
4. B 4. D
5. D 5. D
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. C
10. A
11. B
12. C
13. C
14. D
15. A
References
Belencia, Rene R., Baccay, Elisa S., and Mateo, Efren B. (2016). Statistics and
Probability. Rex Book Store Inc. (RBSI).

Melosantos, Luis Allan B., Antonio, Janice E., Robles, Susan S., and Bruce, Ryan
M. (2016). Math Connections in the Digital Age. Sibs Publishing House Inc.

Malate, Jose S. (2017). “Statistics and Probability”. Vicarish Publications and Trading
Inc.

http://www.stat.yale.edu/Courses/1997-98/101/ranvar.htm

https://www.mathsisfun.com/data/random-variables.html

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