Exploring

Random Variables
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
• illustrate a random variable;
• classify random variables as discrete or
continuous; and
• find the possible values of a random variable.
Content:
• Look Back: Probability
• Entry Card: Sample Space
• Variable
• Activity 1: Defective Cell Phones
• Random Variable
• Activity 2: Tossing three coins
• Activity 3: Drawing Balls from an Urn
• Discrete Random Variable
• Continuous Random Variable
• Seatwork
• Enrichment
• Assessment
Look Back
• What is Probability?
• In probability, how do we conduct
experiment? Give example.
• What is outcome?
• What is sample space?
 Entry Card
List the sample space of the following experiments.
Experiment Sample
Space
1. Tossing three coins
2. Rolling a die and tossing a coin
simultaneously
3. Drawing a spade from a deck of cards
4. Getting a defective item when two items are
randomly selected from a box of two defective
and three non-defective items
5. Drawing card A, B, and C consecutively.
Variable
• Variable is a characteristic or attribute that
can assume different values.
• Capital letters are use to denote or represent
a variable.
Activity 1: Defective
Cell Phones
Supposed three cell phones are tested at
random. We want to find out the number of defective
cell phones that occur. Thus, to each outcome in the
sample space we shall assign a value. These are 0, 1,
2, 3. If there is no defective cell phone, we assign the
number 0; if there is 1 defective cell phone, we assign
the number 1; if there are two defective cell phones,
we assign the number 2; and 3, if there are three
defective cell phones.
 Value of the Random Legend:
Possible Outcome D= Defective
Variable X
cell phone
NNN 0 N= Non-
defective cell
NND 1 phone
X= Random
NDN 1 variable
DNN 1 representing
the number of
NDD 2 defective cell
phones
DND 2
DDN 2
DDD 3
Random Variable
• A random variable is a function that
associates a real number to each elements
in sample space.
• It is a variable whose values are determined
by chance.
Activity 2: Tossing Three Coins
Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the random
variable representing the number of tails that occur. Find
the values of the random variable Y. Complete the table.
Possible Outcomes Value of the Random
Variable Y
Solution:
• Step 1
Determine the sample space. Let H represent head
and T represent Tail.
The sample space for this experiment is:
S = (TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, HHT, HTH, THH, HHH)
• Step 2
Count the number of tails in each outcome in the
sample space and assign this number to this
outcome.
 Value of the Random
Possible Outcome
Variable Y
TTT 3
Legend:
TTH 2
Y = Random
THT 2 variable
representing
HTT 2 the number of
HHT 1 Tails
H = Head
HTH 1 T = Tail

THH 1
HHH 0
Activity 3: Drawing Balls from an Urn
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from
an urn containing 5 red balls and 6 blue balls. Let Z be the
random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find
the values of the random variable Z. Complete the table.
Possible Outcomes Value of the Random
Variable Y
Solution:
• Step 1
Determine the sample space. Let B represent the
blue ball and R represent the red ball.
The sample space for this experiment is:
S = (RR, RB, BR, BB)
• Step 2
Count the number of blue balls in each outcome in
the sample space and assign this number to this
outcome.
 Value of the Random Legend:
Possible Outcome
Variable Z Z = Random
RR 0 variable
representing
RB 1 the number of
Blue balls
BR 1 B = Blue ball
R = Red ball
BB 2
Activity Summary
• In activity 1, the possible values of random
variable X are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
• In activity 2, the possible values of random
variable Y are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
• In activity 3, the possible values of random
variable Z are 0, 1, and 2.
• Random variables X, Y, and Z are random
variables.
Discrete Random Variable
• A random variable is a discrete random variable if
its set of possible outcomes is countable.
• Discrete random variables mostly represent count
data, such as number of defective chairs
produced in a factory.
Continuous Random Variable
• A random variable is a continuous random
variable if it takes on values on a continuous scale.
• Continuous random variable often represent
measured data, such as heights, weights, and
temperatures.
GROUP ACTIVITY:
1. Four coins are tossed. Let Z be the random variable
representing the number of heads that occur. Find the
values of the random variable Z.
2. A shipment of five computers contains two that are
slightly defective. If a retailer receives three of these
computer at random, list the elements of the sample
space S using the letters D and N for defective and non-
defective computers, respectively. To each sample
point assign a value x of the random variable X
representing the number of computers purchased by
the retailer which are slightly defective.
GROUP ACTIVITY:
3. Let T be a random variable giving the number of heads
plus the number of tails in three tosses of a coin. List the
elements of sample space S for the three tosses of the coin
and assign a value to each sample point.

4. From a box containing 4 black balls and 2 green balls, e

balls are drawn in succession. Each ball is placed back in
the box before the next draw is made. Let G be a random
variable representing the number of green balls that occur.
Find the value of the random variable G.
Enrichment
Classify the following random variable as discrete or
continuous.
1. The number of voters favoring a candidate.
2. The number of bushels of apples per hectare this
year.
3. The average amount of electricity consumed per
household per month.
4. The number of death per year attributed to lung
cancer
5. The temperature of newly served coffee.
 Individual Activity
Look Back and Reflect:

1. How do you find the values of random variable?

2. How do you know whether a random variable is continuous
or discrete?
3. What is the difference between continuous and discrete
random variable?
Thank you for listening…