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Understanding Random Variables| Statistics and Probability

Modified: Dec 8, 2024 5:07 PM

1. Outline
Outline: Introduction to Random Variables in Statistics
1. Introduction
Overview of the lecture’s focus on random variables in statistics.

2. Definition of Random Variables

Random Variable: Explanation and examples (e.g., coin tosses, dice rolls, stock prices, weather temperatures).

3. Types of Random Variables

3.1 Discrete Random Variables

Characteristics: Distinct, countable values.
Examples: Number of coins, students, teachers.
Data acquisition: Counting.

3.2 Continuous Random Variables

Characteristics: Any value within a range.
Examples: Height, weight, temperature, time.
Data acquisition: Measuring.

4. Classification Practice
Weight of Newborns in a Hospital: Continuous.
Number of Students in Harvard University: Discrete.
Speed of a Car: Continuous.
Number of Voters in a Town: Discrete.
Amount of Paint Used in a Project: Continuous.

5. Finding Possible Values of a Discrete Random Variable

5.1 Example 1: Tossing Three Coins

Possible outcomes: HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, TTH, THT, HTT, TTT.
Possible values: 3, 2, 1, 0.

5.2 Example 2: Drawing Balls from an Urn

Possible outcomes: Two reds, one red and one blue, one blue and one red, two blues.
Possible values: 0, 1, 2.

6. Conclusion
Invitation for questions and engagement.
Emphasis on understanding random variables and their classification.

2. Study guide
Study Guide: Introduction to Random Variables
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Summary of the Lecture

This lecture introduces the concept of random variables in statistics, emphasizing their definition, types, and methods for
determining their possible values. Random variables are mathematical representations of variables whose values are determined by
chance events. The lecture categorizes random variables into two main types: discrete and continuous, providing examples and
classification exercises to solidify understanding.

Key Topics

Definition of Random Variables

Random Variable: A variable whose possible values are determined by chance. Examples include outcomes from tossing
coins, rolling dice, stock prices, and weather temperatures.

Types of Random Variables

1. Discrete Random Variables:

Take on distinct, countable values.

Examples: Number of coins in a purse, number of students in a class, number of teachers in a school.
Data is obtained through counting.

2. Continuous Random Variables:

Can take any value within a given interval or range.

Examples: Height, weight, temperature, time.
Data is obtained through measuring.

Classification Practice
Weight of Newborns in a Hospital: Continuous
Number of Students in Harvard University: Discrete
Speed of a Car: Continuous
Number of Voters in a Town: Discrete
Amount of Paint Used in a Project: Continuous

Finding Possible Values of a Discrete Random Variable

Example 1: Tossing three coins

Possible outcomes: HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, TTH, THT, HTT, TTT
Possible values (number of heads): 3, 2, 1, 0

Example 2: Drawing two balls in succession without replacement

Possible outcomes: Two reds, one red and one blue, one blue and one red, two blues
Possible values (number of blue balls): 0, 1, 2

Conclusion
The lecture concludes by encouraging questions and engagement, focusing on understanding the nature of random variables and
their classification into discrete and continuous types. Practical examples are provided to illustrate these concepts effectively.

3. Glossary
Random Variables
Random Variable: A mathematical representation of a variable whose possible values are determined by chance events.
Examples include outcomes from tossing coins, rolling dice, stock prices, and weather temperatures.

Types of Random Variables

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Discrete Random Variables: These can take on distinct, countable values. Examples include the number of coins in a purse,
the number of students in a class, and the number of teachers in a school. The data is obtained through counting.

Continuous Random Variables: These can take any value within a given interval or range. Examples include height, weight,
temperature, and time. The data is obtained through measuring.

Classification Practice
Weight of Newborns in a Hospital: Continuous, as weight is measurable.

Number of Students in Harvard University: Discrete, as the number of students is countable.

Speed of a Car: Continuous, as speed is measurable.

Number of Voters in a Town: Discrete, as the number of voters is countable.

Amount of Paint Used in a Project: Continuous, as the amount of paint is measurable.

Finding Possible Values of a Discrete Random Variable

Example 1: Tossing three coins and determining the number of heads. Possible outcomes: HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, TTH, THT,
HTT, TTT. Possible values of the random variable (number of heads): 3, 2, 1, 0.

Example 2: Drawing two balls in succession without replacement from an urn containing red and blue balls. Possible
outcomes: Two reds, one red and one blue, one blue and one red, two blues. Possible values of the random variable
(number of blue balls): 0, 1, 2.

4. Practice
What is a random variable, and how is it used in statistics? Provide an example.
List and describe the two main types of random variables.
Give three examples of discrete random variables and explain why they are classified as such.
Provide three examples of continuous random variables and justify their classification.
Classify the following as discrete or continuous random variables: the number of books in a library, the length of a river, and
the temperature in a city.
Explain how to determine the possible values of a discrete random variable using the example of rolling a six-sided die.
Consider the scenario of flipping four coins. What are the possible values of the random variable representing the number of
heads?
Describe the process of finding possible values for a discrete random variable when drawing cards from a deck without
replacement.
If a random variable represents the height of students in a class, is it discrete or continuous? Explain your reasoning.
How would you classify the random variable representing the number of cars passing through a toll booth in an hour?
Provide a rationale for your classification.

5. Transcript
Hello everyone today we will discuss

about random variables

based on the Curriculum Guide our

objectives are illustrate a random

variable distinguish between a discrete

and a continuous random variable and

find the possible values of a random

variable the word random has a different

meaning in the field of statistics

it refers to events or outcomes that

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occur without predictable partners or

sequence it is random when it varies by

chance So what is random

variable a random variable is a

mathematical representation of a

variable Whose possible values Are

determined by chance

events examples are toing coins rolling

dice stock prices weather temperature

and many more the possible values of

this events Are determined by

chance we have two types of Random

variable the discrete random variable

and the continuous random

variable when we say discrete random

variable it can take on distinct

countable values

examples number of coins in a

porse number of students in a

class number of teachers in a

school as you have observed we can get

the possible values through counting or

the data are all

countable another type of Random

variable is the continuous random

variable

it can take any value within a given

interval or

range the characteristics of continuous

random variable are countable Infinite

or it can be any value within the

Range examples

are height weight temperature and time

as you have observed we can get the data

through measuring or all the data is

measurable

Do you have
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questions comment it in the comment

section Now let’s have some

practice classify the following random

variables as discrete or

continuous number one the weight of

newborns in a

hospital is it rand it is discrete or

continuous

Okay so the answer

is

continuous number one is an example of

continuous random variable because the

weight represent

measured data

number two the number of students in

Harvard

University is it discrete or

continuous Okay number two is an example

of discrete random

variable because the number of students

in Harvard University is countable

next number three the speed of a

car it is discrete or

continuous Okay it is continuous number

is an example of continuous random

variable because the speed of a car is

measurable number four the number of

voters in a

town Okay so the answer is

discrete random variable because the

number of voters are

countable number five the amount of

paint used in a

project the answer is continuous It is a

con it is an example of continuous

random variable because the amount of

paint is
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measurable now Let’s move to finding the

possible values of a discrete random

variable

example one suppose three coins are tos

let y be the random variable

representing the number of heads that

occur find the values of the random

variable

y first we need to List down all the

possible

outcomes as we to the coins the possible

outcomes

are head head Head or It Could Be head

head

Tail head Tail

head Tail head

head tail tail

head Tail head

Tail he tail

tail and tail tail

tail next we need to count the number of

head that appear in every possible

outcomes

How many head appear in the first

possible

outcome the head that appear in the

first possible outcome is we have one

two 3 So the outcome

is

3 in second third and fth the number of

head that appear

is two

and in the fth sixth and sth possible

outcome We

have

one Okay we have one number of head and

in the
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e possible

outcome the number of head

is

zer therefore the possible values

are 3 2 1 and zer So

here let’s have another

example example

two two balls are drawn in succession

without replacement from an orn

containing red balls and six blue balls

let Z be the random variable represent

the number of blue

balls find the values of the random

variable

Z again we need to List down all the

possible

outcomes when you draw two balls from an

orn It’s possible that you

Pick two red

or one red and one blue or It Could Be

one blue and one red or It Could Be two

blues in the First outcome The number of

blue

is

zero in the second and

Third possible

outcome the number of head is the number

of blue is one okay

and in the four possible outcomes the

number of blue is one and

2 therefore the vales of Random variable

c 0 1 and

2 So if you have questions just comment

it in the comment section and please

subscribe Thank you for watching teach

Thank you for

watching ah
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