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1 of Chapter 3 Random Variables and Discrete Probability Distributions

The document discusses random variables and discrete probability distributions. It defines random variables as variables whose values are determined by chance. Discrete random variables can take countable values, while continuous random variables take uncountable or measurable values. Examples of each are provided. Discrete probability distributions assign probabilities to each value a discrete random variable can take. Properties like the probability function, probability histogram, cumulative distribution function, expected value, and variance are described. Several examples illustrate how to construct probability distributions and calculate related properties. Exercises at the end provide additional practice problems.

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203 views16 pages

1 of Chapter 3 Random Variables and Discrete Probability Distributions

The document discusses random variables and discrete probability distributions. It defines random variables as variables whose values are determined by chance. Discrete random variables can take countable values, while continuous random variables take uncountable or measurable values. Examples of each are provided. Discrete probability distributions assign probabilities to each value a discrete random variable can take. Properties like the probability function, probability histogram, cumulative distribution function, expected value, and variance are described. Several examples illustrate how to construct probability distributions and calculate related properties. Exercises at the end provide additional practice problems.

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COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY


MATHEMATICS SECTION

SEMESTER-1 (AY 2022-2023)


PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS (MATH311 / STAT3101)

PPT - 1 OF CHAPTER 3
Random variables and Discrete probability distributions

11/19/22
Random variables and probability distributions :

Random Variable : Is a rule which assigns values to outcomes of an experiment. Simply it is a variable whose
values are determine by chance.

Types of random variables :


a) Discrete random variable is the one that can take on a countable number such as the number of defects item
detected in a production line.
b) Continuous random variable is the one whose values are uncountable (measurable)
Examples of discrete random variables :
Number of houses sold by a developer in a given month.
Number of cars rented at a rental shop during a given month.
Number of report received at the police station on a given day.
Number of fish caught on a fishing trip.

Examples of continuous random variables :


The weight of a person.
The time taken to complete a 100 meter dash.
The duration of a battery.
The height of a building.
Discrete Probability Distributions :
The probability distribution of a discrete random variable, assuming a finite number of values, can be
described by listing all the values that the random variable can assume, together with the corresponding
probabilities. Such a listing is called the probability function of the random variable (RV).
If X is a discrete RV which can take the values x1, x2, x3, … such that P(X = xi) = pi, then pi is called the
probability function if
(i)
(ii)
Probability histogram is a graph of the probability distribution that displays the possible values of a discrete RV
on the horizontal axis and the probabilities of those values on the vertical axis. The probability of each value is
represented by a vertical bar whose height equals the probability.

Example 1: Three coins are tossed. Let X be the number of heads obtained. Construct a probability distribution for X.
X Px
0 1/8
1 3/8
2 3/8
3 1/8
∑ P(X) 1
Cumulative Distribution Function :

Definition : The cumulative distribution function (CDF) for a random variable X is a rule or table that provides
the probabilities for any real number x.

Generally, the term cumulative probability refers to the probability that X less than equal to a particular value.

For a discrete random variable, the cumulative probability is a function F(x) where
F(x) = and
, where x = x0, x1, x2, … is the probability distribution function for X

The mean of a random variable is which is known as expected value denoted by .

The variance is given by


Example 2: A discrete random variable X has the following probability distribution

X 0 1 2 3

P(X = x) 1/30 3/10 1/2 1/6

Construct the cumulative distribution of X

Solution :

X 0 1 2 3

P(x) 1/30 3/10 1/2 1/6

F(x) 1/30 10/30 25/30 1


{
Example 3: A discrete random variable X has the following cumulative
distribution.
1
, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤1
21
3
, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 1≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2
21
6
𝐹 ( 𝑥 )= 21 , 𝑓𝑜𝑟 2≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3
10
, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 3 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 4
21
15
, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 4 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 5
21
1 , 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑥>5

a) Construct the probability distribution.


b) Construct the graph of the probability distribution of X and cumulative distribution of X
Solution :
X 0 1 2 3 4 5

F(x) 1/21 3/21 6/21 10/21 15/21 1

P(x) 1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21


Example 4: the probability distribution for the number of times a machine will break down in a 5 days week in a small engineering firm is estimated below.

X P(X)
a) Find the expected number of breakdown per week.
b) Calculate the standard deviation 0 0.2

Solution : a) 1 0.2

2 0.6
b) Variance =

Standard deviation = Square root ((0+0.2+2.4) – 1.42)


= Square root (2.6 – 1.96)
= 0.8
Example 5: The probability distribution of a discrete random variable X is given by the following table.

X -2 -1 0 1 2 3

P(x) 0.2 k 0.1 2k 0.1 2k

Find i) the value of k, ii) mean, iii) P(x ≥ 0)


Solution : (i) ∑ p(x) = 1
0.2 + k + 0.1 + 2k + 0.1 + 2k = 1
0.4 + 5k = 1
5k = 1 – 0.4
5k = 0.6
k
X -2 -1 0 1 2 3

P(x) 0.2 0.1 0.1

(ii) Mean =

(iii)
¿ 0.1+0.24 +0.1+0.24
¿ 0.68
Exercise :
1. The probabilities of various numbers of failures in a mechanical test are as follows:
P[0 failures] = 0.21, P[1 failures] = 0.43, P[2 failures] = 0.28,
P[3 failures] = 0.08, P[more than 3 failures]=0
a. Show this probability function as a graph
b. Sketch a graph of the corresponding cumulative distribution function
c. What is the expected number of failures – that is, the mathematical expectations of the number of failures?
2. The following table gives the probability distribution of a discrete random variable X.

X 0 1 2 3 4 5

P(x) 0.03 0.17 0.22 0.31 0.15 0.12

Find the following probability :

a) exactly 1, b) at most 1, c) at least 3, d) 2 to 5, e) more than 3


3. The following table is the probability distribution for the number of traffic accidents occur daily in a small city.

Number of
0 1 2 3 4 5
accidents (X)

P(x) 0.03 0.17 0.22 0.31 0.15 0.12

Find the probability of :


i) Exactly three accidents occur daily Ans:
ii) Between one and four accidents occur daily Ans: 0.53
iii) At least three accidents occur daily Ans: 0.58
4. A random variable X has the following probability function

X 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

P(x) 0 k 2k 2k 3k k2 2k2 7k2 + k

Find k and i) Evaluate P(x < 6), ii) P(x ≥ 6), iii) P( 0 < x < 5)

Ans : i) 0.81 Ans : ii) 0.19 Ans : iii) 0.8


References:

1. Applied statistics and probability for engineers/ dougls C. Montgomery/ 4th edition

2. Elementary statistics A step by step[ approach/ allan G. Bluman/ 5th edition

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