Simplified Learning Module 1 MELC Competency:

⁕ illustrates a random variable (discrete and

continuous).
⁕ distinguishes between a discrete and a
continuous random variable.
⁕ finds the possible values of a random variable.
⁕ illustrates a probability distribution for a
discrete random variable and its properties.

STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY

(WEEK 1, QUARTER 3)
Random Variables and
Probability Distributions

Definitions of 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 quantitativ e variable which values depends on
change.

NOTE:

We use capital letters to represent a random 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.
Solution:

Solution:

Steps Solution

1. List the sample space S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}

2. Count the number of tails in each

outcome and assign this number
Outcome Number of Tails
to this outcome.
(Value of T)

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.

Solution:

Steps Solution
1. List the sample space S = {OO, OV, VO, VV}

2. Count the number of violet balls

in each outcome and assign this Outcome Number of Violet
number to this outcome. balls

(Value of V)
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 number of red
balls.

Solution:

Steps Solution

1. List the sample space S = {RRR, RRW, RWR, WRR, WWR, WRW,
RWW, WWW}

Outcome Number of Red balls

2. Count the number of red balls in
each outcome and assign this (Value of R)
number to this outcome.
RRR 3
RRW 2
RWR 2
WRR 2
WWR 1
WRW 1
RWW 1
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.

Solution:

Steps Solution
1. List the sample space
S = {HHHH, HHHT, HHTH, HHTT, HTHH, HTHT,
HTTH, HTTT, THHH, THHT, THTH,
THTT, TTHH, TTHT, TTTH, TTTT}

Outcome Number of tails

2. Count the number of tails in each
outcome and assign this number (Value of T)
to this outcome.
HHHH 0
 HHHT 1
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
3. Conclusion
The values of the random variable T (number of tails) in
this experiment are 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Example 5

A pair of dice is rolled. Let X be the random variable representing the sum of the number of
dots on the top faces. Find the values of the random variable X.

Solution:

Steps Solution

1. List the sample space S=

{(1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (1, 5), (1, 6),
(2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3), (2, 4), (2, 5), (2, 6),
(3, 1), (3, 2), (3, 3), (3, 4), (3, 5), (3, 6),
(4, 1), (4, 2), (4, 3), (4, 4), (4, 5), (4, 6),
(5, 1), (5, 2), (5, 3), (5, 4), (5, 5), (5, 6),

(6, 1), (6, 2), (6, 3), (6, 4), (6, 5), (6, 6)}

2. Count the sum of the number of

 dots in each outcome and Outcome
assign this number to this Sum of the number of dots
outcome. (Value of X)

(1, 1) 2

(1, 2), (2, 1) 3

(1, 3), (3, 1), (2, 2) 4

(1, 4), (4, 1), (2, 5

3), (3, 2)

(1, 5), (5, 1), (2, 6

4), (4, 2), (3, 3)

(1, 6), (6, 1), (2, 7

5), (5, 2), (4, 3),
(3, 4)

(3, 5), (5, 3), (2, 8

6), (6, 2), (4, 4)

(5, 4), (4, 5), (6, 9

3), (3, 6)

(6, 4), (4, 6), (5, 5) 10

(5, 6), (6, 5) 11

(6, 6) 12

3. Conclusion The values of the random variable X (sum of the number of

dots) in this experiment are 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and
12.
Discrete and Continuous Random Variable

A random variable may be classified as discrete and continuous. A discrete random variable has a
countable number of possible values. A continuous random variable can assume an infinite number of
values in one or more intervals.

Examples:

Discrete Random Variable Continuous Random Variable

Number of pens in a box Amount of antibiotics in the vial
Number of ants in a colony Length of electric wires
Number of ripe bananas in a basket Voltage of car batteries
Number of COVID 19 positive cases in Weight of newborn in the hospital
Hermosa, Bataan
Number of defective batteries Amount of sugar in a cup of coffee
What is It

In the previous grade levels in studying Mathematics, we have learned how to make a
frequency distribution table given a set of raw data. In this part, you will learn how to construct a
probability distribution.

In the previous part of this module, you already learned how to determine the values of
discrete random variable. Constructing a probability distribution is just a continuation of the previous
part. We just need to include an additional step to illustrate and compute the probabilities
corresponding to a given random variable.

Using Example 1 in the previous page,

Steps Solution
1. List the sample space S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}

2. Count the number of tails in each

outcome and assign this number to Outcome Number of Tails
this outcome.
(Value of T)
HH 0
HT 1
TH 1
TT 2
The values of the random variable T (numb ) in
tails this experiment are 0, 1, and 2. er of
3. Construct the frequency distribution
of the values of the random Number of Tails Number of
variable T. Occurrence
(Value of T)
(Frequency)
0 1
1 2
2 1
Total 4
4. Construct the probability
distribution of the random variable Nu Probabi lity
T by getting the probability of N umber of Tails mber of P(T)
Occ
occurrence of each value of the urrence
random variable. ( Value of T) (Fre quency)
0 1 1/4
 1 2 2/4 or 1/2
2 1 1/4
Total 4 1
The probability distri bution of the random
variable T can be written as follows:
T 2 1 0
1/4
P(T) 1/2 1/4
5. Construct the probability 4
histogram.

P(T) 2

0
0 1 2
T

Using Example 2 in the previous page,

Steps Solution
1. List the sample space S = {OO, OV, VO, VV}
2. Count the number of violet balls in
each outcome and assign this Outcome Number of Violet
number to this outcome. Balls

(Value of V)
OO 0
OV 1

The VO 1
viol VV 2 er of 2.
 values of the random variable V (numb et
balls) in this experiment are 0, 1, and
3. Construct the frequency distribution
of the values of the random Number of Violet Number of
variable V. Balls Occurrence

(Value of V) (Frequency)
0 1
1 2

2 1
Total
4
4. Construct the probability
distribution of the random N umber of Number of Probability
variable V by getting the P(V)
V iolet balls Occurrence
probability of occurrence of each
value of the random variable. ( Value of V) (Frequency)
0 1 1/4
1 2 2/4 or 1/2
2 1 1/4
Total 4 1
The probability distribution of the random variable V
can be written as follows:
V 2 1 0
1/4
P(V) 1/2 1/4
5. Construct the probability histogram.
4

P(V) 2

1
 0 0 1 2
V

Using Example 4 in the previous page,

Steps Solution

1. List the sample space S = {HHHH, HHHT, HHTH, HHTT, HTHH,

HTHT, HTTH, HTTT, THHH, THHT, THTH,
THTT, TTHH, TTHT, TTTH, TTTT}

2. Count the number of tails in each

Outcome N umber of tails
outcome and assign this number to
this outcome. (Value of T)
HHHH 0
HHHT 1
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
The values of the random variable T (number of tails) in this
experiment are 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

3. Construct the frequency distribution

 of the values of the random Number of Tails Number of
variable T. Occurrence
(Value of T)
(Frequency)

0 1

1 4

2 6

3 4

4 1

Total 16

4. Construct the probability

distribution of the random
variable T by getting the Number of Probability
probability of occurrence of each Number of Tails Occurrence P(T)
value of the random variable.
(Value of T) (Frequency)

0 1 1/16

1 4 4/16 or
1/4

2 6 6/16 or
3/8

3 4 4/16 or
1/4

4 1 1/16

Total 16 1

The probability distribution of the random variable T can

be written as follows:

T 0 1 2 3 4

3/8
P(T) 1/16 1/4 1/4 1/16
 5. Construct the probability histogram. 16

14

12

10

P(T)
8

0 1 2 3 4

Using Example 5 in the previous page,

Steps Solution
1. List the sample space S=
{(1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (1, 5), (1, 6),
(2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3), (2, 4), (2, 5), (2, 6),
(3, 1), (3, 2), (3, 3), (3, 4), (3, 5), (3, 6),
(4, 1), (4, 2), (4, 3), (4, 4), (4, 5), (4, 6),
(5, 1), (5, 2), (5, 3), (5, 4), (5, 5), (5, 6),
(6, 1), (6, 2), (6, 3), (6, 4), (6, 5), (6, 6)}
2. Count the sum of the number of
dots in each outcome and
assign this number to this Outcome
Sum of the
outcome.
number of dots

(Value of
X)
(1, 1) 2
(1, 2), (2, 1) 3
(1, 3), (3, 1), (2, 2) 4
(1, 4), (4, 1), (2, 3), (3, 2) 5
(1, 5), (5, 1), (2, 4), (4, 2), (3, 3) 6
(1, 6), (6, 1), (2, 5), (5, 2), (4, 3), 7
(3, 4)
(3, 5), (5, 3), (2, 6), (6, 2), (4, 4) 8
(5, 4), (4, 5), (6, 3), (3, 6) 9
(6, 4), (4, 6), (5, 5) 10
(5, 6), (6, 5) 11
(6, 6) 12
The values of the random variable X (sum of the number of dots) in this
experiment are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

3. Construct the frequency

distribution of the values of Sum of the number of Number of
the random variable X. dots Occurrence

(Value of X) (Frequency)
2 1
3 2
4 3
5 4
6 5
7 6
8 5
9 4
10 3

11 2
 12 1
Total 36
4. Construct the probability
distribution of the random Number of Probability P(X)
variable X by getting the S um of the n Occurrence
probability of occurrence of umber of dots
each value of the random (Frequency)
variable. (V alue of X)
2 1 1/36
3 2 2/36 or 1/18
4 3 3/36 or 1/12
5 4 4/36 or 1/9
6 5 5/36
7 6 6/36 or 1/6
8 5 5/36
9 4 4/36 or 1/9
10 3 3/36 or 1/12
11 2 2/36 or 1/18
12 1 1/36
Total 36 1

The probability distribution of the random variable X can

be written as follows:
X 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
P(X) 1 1

9 9
36 18 12 36 36 12 18 36
5. Construct the probability P(X)
histogram.

ACTIVITY #1

Direction: Complete the table below by constructing and illustrating the probability
distribution of Example 3.

Steps Solution

1. List the sample space

2. Count the number of tails in each

outcome and assign this number
to this outcome.
 3. Construct the frequency
distribution of the values of the
given random variable.

4. Construct the probability

distribution of the given random
variable by getting the
probability of occurrence of each
value of the random variable.

5. Construct the probability

histogram.

What I Have Learned

Direction: Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Answer the following in 2-3 sentences only.
1. How do you describe a discrete random variable?

2. How do you describe a continuous random variable?

3. Give three examples of discrete random variable.

4. Give three examples of continuous random variable.

5. What do you notice about the probability values of random variable in each probability
distribution?

6. What is the sum of the probabilities of a random variable?

7. Why should the sum of the probabilities in a probability distribution is always equal to 1?

8. What is the shape of most probability distributions? Why do you think so?

Scoring Rubric

0 1 2 3 4
 No answer at all Correct answer Correct answer Correct answer Correct answer
but not in a written in a written in a written in a
sentence form. sentence form sentence form sentence form
but no with 1 with 2 or more
supporting supporting supporting detail
details. detail from the from
text. the text.

Used
Did not use Used capitalization
capitalization and capitalization and and
punctuation. punctuation. punctuation.

3 or more 1-2 spelling All words

spelling mistakes. spelled
mistakes. correctly.

References

Books
Belecina, R. R., Baccay, E. S., & Mateo, E. B. (2016).
Statistics and Probability. Rex Book Store.
Ocampo, J. J., & Marquez, W. G. (2016). Senior High Conceptual Math & Beyond Statistics and
Probability. Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc.

Website
britannica.com. (2021). Retrieved from Britannica:
https://www.britannica.com/science/statistics/Random-variables-andprobability-distributions
courses.lumenlearning.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from lumen Boundless Statistics:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-statistics/chapter/discreterandom-variables/
ANSWER KEY: