Discrete Random Variable

A variable is a quantity that takes up more than one value

A discrete random variable is a variable that can take up specific values, each with a given
probability
The table shows some examples of discrete random variables:

Notations:
o Random variables are denoted by upper case letters, X, Y. R etc.
o Particular values of a variable are denoted by lower case letters, for example, x, y, r etc.
o The probability that the variable X takes a particular value x is written as

Probability distributions: A list of all possible values of a discrete variable , together with their
associated probabilities, is called a probability distribution . It is often helpful to show the
probability distribution in a table.
The probability distribution of , the score on the fair cubical die, is shown below and
illustrated by a vertical line graph:

Note that the sum of all probabilities is 1.

Q1. Emma is playing a game with a biased give sided spinner marked with the numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5. When she spins the spinner, her score, X, is the number on which the spinner lands. The
probability of is shown in the table.

(a) Find the value of .

(b) Find the probability that the score is at least 4
(c) Find the probability that the score is less than 5
(d) Find ).
(e) Write down the most likely score.
Q2. George decides to replace the two used batteries in his torch with new ones. Unfortunately,
when he takes them out, he mixes them up with three new batteries. All five batteries are identical
in appearance.
George selects two of the batteries at random. Draw up a probability distribution table for , the
number of new batteries that George selects.

Q3. A vegetable basket contains 12 peppers, of which 3 are red, 4 are green and 5 are yellow. Three
peppers are taken at random, without replacement, from the basket.
(a) Find the probability that the three peppers are all different colours.
(b) Show that the probability that exactly 2 of the peppers taken are green is
(c) The number of green peppers taken is denoted by the discrete random variable . Draw up
a probability distribution table for .

Q4. Peter has two fair tetrahedral (four-sided) dice. The faces on each are labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4. One
die is red and the other is blue. Peter throws each die once. The random variable is the sum of the
numbers on which the dice land.
(a) Find the probability that
(b) Draw up a probability distribution table for .
(c) Given that , find the probability that the red die landed on 2.

Sometimes the probability distribution of can be defined in terms of by a probability

function.

Q5. In a probability distribution, the random variable takes the value with probability
, where takes the values 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 only. Draw a probability
distribution table for , in terms of , and find the value of .

Mean and Variance of a discrete random variable

o The mean or expectation of a random variable , denoted by is the value you
would expect to get if you take a large number of values of and find the mean. The
mean is given by:

o The variance of a discrete random variable is given by

o The standard deviation of a discrete random variable is the square root of the
variance.
Q6. The table below shows the probability distribution of the discrete random variable .

(a) Calculate E
(b) Calculate
(c) Find the standard deviation of .

Q7. A small farm has 5 ducks and 2 geese. Four of these birds are to be chosen at random. The
random variable represent the number of geese chosen.
(a) Draw up the probability distribution of .
(b) Show that and calculate Var(

Q8. The discrete random variable has the following probability distribution.

(a) Write down an equation satisfied by and .

(b) Given that E , find and .

Q9. Natasha plays a fairground game. She throws an unbiased tetrahedral die with faces numbered
1, 2, 3 and 4. If the die lands on the face marked 1, she has to pay $1. If it lands on 3, she wins 30
cents. If it lands on 2 or 4, Natasha wins 50 cents.
(a) Find her expected profit in a single throw
(b) If the fairground owner changes the rules so that Natasha has to pay $1.30 if the die lands
on 1, what will be

Q10. In a competition, people pay $1 to throw a ball at a target. If they hit the target on the first
throw, they receive $5. If they hit it on the second or third throw, they receive $3 and if they hit it on
the fourth or fifth throw, they receive $1. People stop throwing after the first hit or after 5 throws if
no hit is made. Mario has a constant probability of of hitting the target on any throw,
independently of the results of other throws.
(a) Mario misses with his first and second throws and hits the target with his third throw. State
how much profit he has made.
(b) is 0.184, correct to 3 significant figures.
(c)
(d) Calculate his expected profit.
Miscellaneous questions:

Q11. Rory has 10 cards. Four of the cards have a 3 printed on them and six of the cards have a 4
printed on them. He takes three cards at random, without replacement and adds up the numbers on
the cards.
(a) Show that P(the sum of the numbers on the three cards is 11) =
(b) Draw up a probability distribution table for the sum of the numbers on the three cards.
Event
taken is a 3
(c) Determine whether events and are independent. Justify your answer.
(d) Determine whether events and are exclusive. Justify your answer.
(O/N/13/V62)

Q12. Deeti has 3 red pens and 1 blue pen in her left pocket and 3 red pens and 1 blue pen in her
consists of Deeti taking one pen at random from her left pocket and
placing it in her right pocket, then taking one pen at random from her right pocket and placing it in
her left pocket.
(a) Find the probability that, when Deeti carries out operation , she takes a blue pen from her
left pocket and then a blue pen from her right pocket.
The random variable
.
(b) Find P(
(c) Given that the pen taken right pocket is blue, find the probability that the pen

Q13. A box contains 2 green apples and 2 red apples. Apples are taken from the box, one at a time,
without replacement. When both red apples have been taken, the process stops. The random
variable is the number of apples which have been taken when the process stops.
(a) Show that .
(b) Draw up the probability distribution table for .
Another box contains 2 yellow peppers and 5 orange peppers. Three peppers are taken at random
from the box without replacement.
(c) Given that at least 2 of the peppers taken from the box are orange, find the probability that
all three peppers are orange.