Quipper GRADE 11/12 | STATISTICS & PROBABILITY UNIT 1 Random Variables and Probability Distributions Objectives At the end of this unit, you should be able to ‘= illustrate a random variable (discrete and random); + distinguish between a discrete and a continuous random variable; ‘+ find the possible values of a random variable; and ‘+ illustrate a probability distribution for a discrete random variable and its properties. =S Lesson 1: Random Variables am Learn about ‘The highlighted words in the Warm Up! activity are examples of random variables. Definition 1.1: A random variable is a function that associates a numerical value with every outcome of an experiment. Its domain is a sample space and its range is some set of real numbers. ‘An uppercase letter, commonly X, is used to denote a random variable, while the corresponding lowercase letter x is used to denote one of the values of a random variable, A random variable has either a probability distribution for a discrete random variable or a probability density function for a continuous random variable. The difference between a discrete and a continuous random variable will be discussed in the next lesson. In the first round of the Worm Up! activity, the number of siblings is the random variable x, while the guesses of each member of the group serves as x. That is, x = 0,1,2,3,... We can say that X, which is the random variable that pertains to the number of siblings, can take ‘on the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on. ‘The same idea can be used in the second round. The random variable X, which pertains to the number of pets in the household, can take on the numbers 0, 1, 2, and so on.In the third round of the Warm Up! activity, the weight is the random variable, X, while the. guesses of each member of the group serves as x. That is, x =...30,31,32, ..34.5, 36.7, .. Lastly, in the fourth round of the activity, the random variable x is the height, while the guesses of each member such as 154.1, 155, 160.5, and so on serves as x. In these examples, we can see that a random variable can take on any real numbers depending on the nature of the random variable. ‘B Let’s Practice! Example 1: Let X be a random variable that denotes the number of students inside a cafeteria in a specific hour. What are the possible values of the random variable, x? Solution; The number of students is a random variable that can take numbers that are whole. Therefore, x = 0, 1,2 > Try It Yourself’ J Let x be a random variable that denotes the number of teachers inside the faculty room of a university. What are the possible values of the random variable X? Example 2: Two coins are tossed at the same time. If X denotes the number of heads that may appear, what are the possible values of X? Solution: When two coins are tossed at the same time, the possible outcomes are (HH wT, TH,TTY Where i represents the heads, and’ T represents the tails. From thé outcomes above, we can observe the following: HH = 2heads HT = 1 head TH = 1 head TT + no heads From this observation, we can say that the random variable ¥ can take on the values 0, 1, and 2 Example 3: Two fair dice are rolled at the same time. If a random variable X denotes the sum of the numbers in the dice, what are the possible values of X? Solution: — When two fair dice are rolled at the same time, the possible outcomes are 5 = (G,0, 2), 4,3), (1.4), (6.693‘There are 36 elements in the sample space S. If the numbers in each pair are added, the possible sums are (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10,11, 12} which are also the possible values of the random variable x. Real-World Problems Example 4: A researcher Is conducting a study about the shows regular employees watch at night before they rest. The researcher asked 50 employees about the number of shows they watch every night before they rest. If X is a random variable that denotes the number of shows they watch every night before they rest, what are the possible values of x? Solution: The number of TV shows can be described using whole numbers. That is, can take on the values 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on. = Lesson 2: Discrete and Continuous Random Variables a Learn about It! The random variables mentioned in the Warm Up! activity are the types of a random variable, namely, the discrete and continuous random variable. Definition 2.1: A discrete random variable have a finite number of possible values or an infinite number of values that can be counted, while a continuous random variable can assume an infinite number of values that can take decimal or fractional values. The word discrete means separate and different from one another. Thus, discrete random variables are those that take on integral values only. Consider a random variable x that denotes the number of pets a particular household has. A household can have no pets, one pet, or more. Thus, the random variable X can take on values equal to 0, 1, 2, or more. In this particular example, the random variable takes on values that are whole numbers. It cannot take on values that are decimals or fractions. We can say that the random variable X is a discrete random variable. Categorical variables can also be considered as discrete variables. Consider taking the gender of a person. You may assign a number one (1) as the value for a female and a number two (2) as the value for a male. This can also be done with variables that take on multiple categories. Furthermore, consider taking the heights of 30 students in a classroom. By doing this, we can have a possible height measurements of 150.5 cm, 165.8 cm, and 177.1 cm as examples. Observe that the measurements take on decimal numbers. From here, we can say that the random variable that pertains to the height of the students is a continuous random variable. 1. ‘EB Let’s Practice! Example 1: A random variable takes on the following values: 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14. Is the random variable discrete or continuous? Solution: Since the random variable takes on whole number values, the random variable is classified as a discrete random variable. Example 2: identify whether the amount of money a person pays for grocery goods a discrete or a continuous random variable. Solution: The amount of money that a person pays for grocery goods varies depending ‘on the quantity of goods a person buys. This variable takes on values that are decimal in form, like P255.65. Thus, it is a continuous random variable. Example 3: Jose's wallet contains 2 #10, a P20, a P50, and a #100 bill. If Jose is going to” pick two bills from his wallet, and X represents a random variable that denotes the sum of the two bills, identify if the random variable x is a discrete or a continuous random variable. Solution: The given amount of bills is written as whole numbers. When we add any two bills, the sum will still be a whole number. Thus, the random variable X is a discrete random variable. = Lesson 3: Probability Distribution QAPGe Learn about it: The table made in the Warm Up! activity is an example of a probability distribution. Definition 3.1: The probability distribution of a discrete random variable is a list, a table, a graph, or a formula of probabilities associated with each of its possible values. It is also sometimes called the probability distribution function or the probability mass function. The probability of a discrete random variable X is a function which gives the probability P(X = x;) = P(x). This notation denotes the probability that the random variable X is ‘equal to some values x.Consider the random experiment of tossing two coins at the same time. The possible outcomes of this experiment are $= {HH,HT,TH,TT}—a total of 4 elements. If X is a random variable that denotes the number of heads when you toss two coins at the same time, then X = 0, 1,2. To calculate the probability of occurrence of each outcome, let us take each value of X one at a time: 0 corresponds to T'7, which has 1 occurrence out of 4 possible outcomes. + X= L corresponds to HT and TH, which accounts to 2 out of 4 possible outcomes. +X =2 corresponds to HH, which has 1 occurrence out of 4 possible outcomes. Hence, we have the following probability distribution for the discrete random variable x: es =a 7 Based on the probability distribution, we can observe that the probability that the random variable is equal to 0 is , which, in symbols, is P(X = 0) = 2. We can also observe that the Lastly, sino Ie slew probability that the random variable is equal to 1 is 4 that is, PC P( =2) =, which means that the probability of the random variable is equal to From this example, we can observe the following properties: 1. The probability of each outcome is between 0 and 1, inclusive. That is, O5 6 7) 8) 9 wo WU) 2 3 4 5S 6 5 4 3 2 2 3% % % % BW BM % BW Be Real-World Problems Example 4: A radiologist records the number of patients waiting in queue every 8 a.m. for X-ray in a certain hospital for 20 consecutive days. The following are his observations: Ret erry Waiting tara 2 5 3 7 If x is a random variable that pertains to the number of patients waiting in queue for X-ray every 8 a.m. in a certain hospital, construct a probability distribution for the random variable x. Solution: Based on the above observations, the random variable x can take on the values 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Using the relative frequency approach in assigning probabilities, we can have the following probability distribution for the random variable X. 7 o 1 2 3 2 5 3 7 2 20 20 20 Sos = Lesson 4: Solving Random Variables ae Learn about It! In the previous lesson, we discussed about probability distributions for a random variable. For any probability distribution the probabilities of each outcome for the random variable should be between 0 and 1, inclusive and that the sum of all the probabilities is equal to 1. Example 1: Given the probability distribution of a discrete random variable X below, find P(X =1). es i 2 i LSolution: na probability distribution for a discrete random variable, the sum of all the probabilities of the outcomes should be equal to 1. That is, 3 PCr) = 1. When we add all the probabilities and equate it to 1, we have the following: PCR = 0) + PO = 1) 4 PO = 2) 4 P= 3) =1 a aii FtPe a4 S4E P=) POD ‘Therefore, the probability that the random variable x is equal to 1s 5 Example 2: Given the probability distribution of a discrete random variable X below, find PO < 10). 7 9 10 13 14 oa 013 0.09 035 0.19 Solution: The notation P(X < 10) means the probability that the random variable X is less than 10. In the given distribution, the random variables take on the values 7, 9, 10, 13, and 14 in which 7 and 9 are the numbers less than 10. So, in order to solve for PCY < 10), we need to add the probability that the random variable X is equal to 7 or 9. That is, P(X < 10) = PO = 7) + POX = 9) P(X < 10) = 0.24 +013 P(X < 10) = 0.37 Therefore, the probability that the random variable X is less than 10 is 0.37. Example 3: Given the probability distribution of a discrete random variable X below, find PKz 1), ° i 2 3 4 EM 024 0.13 0.09 035 2 Solution: In a probability distribution for a discrete random variable, the sum of all the probabilities of the outcomes should be equal to 1. That is, 5 PO) = 1. When we add all the probabilities and equate it to 1, we have the following solutio! 0.24 +013 +009+0.35 + P(X =4) Pu =4) P(X =4) 1— 0.24 — 0.13 — 0.09 — 0.35 19 In order to get P(X = 1), we need to add P(X = 1), P(X = 2), P(X = 3), and P(X = 4) P(X 2 1) = PO = 1) + P(X = 2) + PK = 3) + P(X = 4) PUL > 1) = 0.13 + 0.09 +0.35 + 0.19 PH 21) =0.76 Therefore, the probability that the random variable X is greater than or equal to 1 is 0.76.Another way we can solve for P(X = 1) is to apply the complement of it. Is complement is P(X <1). Therefore, we have P(X > 1) = 1— P(X <1). The P(X <1) is the probability that the random variable is less than 1 which is also the same with P(X = 0) based on the distribution. We can now have the following solution: P=) =1-PHr<) PRS 1) = 1-024 PO >= 0.76 We arrive at the same answer as the one above. Real-World Problems Example 4: The number of students in the library in any given hour is a random variable represented by X. The following is the probability distribution for X. 9 10 1 12 13 0.25 0.35 0.15 10 0.5 Find the probability that in a given hour, a. at least 12 students are in the library? b. at most 11 students are in the library? Solution: a. The phrase “at least 12” means that we are to solve for P(X = 12). PO 12) = P(X = 12) + POX = 13) POL > 12) = 0.10 + 0.15 POS 12) = 0.25 Therefore, the proba in the library is 0.25. ity that in any given hour at least 12 students are b. The phrase “at most 11” means that we are about to get P(X < 11). P(X < 11) = PO =9) + PK = 10) + P= 11), P(X < 11) = 0.25 +0.35 40.15 P(X <11)=0.75 Therefore, the probal In the library is 0.75. ity that in any given hour at most 11 students are LM rotereneat ‘luman, Allen G, mentary sts: Step by Step Approach, New York McGraw Hil oveation 2013 Mathwors, “Random Variable” Accessed September 17,2018, Hrapfmathwor waamconvRandonarabe hm.