UNIT 1 – Lesson 1

Random variables
and Probabilty
distribution
Statistics and
Probability
WAREN MEJIAS
Guide
Guide Questions
Questions
● What is random variable?
● What is difference between discrete and
continuous random variable?
● How do we construct probabilty mass function of
a discrete probabilty distribution?
 Probability is a measure of chance declared through
reasonable opinion.

Given a random experiment, the set of all possible outcomes is called its sample space. Each
outcome may be referred to as a sample point.

Example: In the experiment of tossing a coin, the sample space is the set
S = {HEADS,TAILS}
and HEADS and TAILS are its two sample points.

In rolling a die, the sample space is

S ={1,2,3,4,5,6}
The event E “odd outcomes” is given by
E ={1,3,5}.
 Let the sample size of an experiment be |S| and the event size be |
E|. Then,
P(E)=

In rolling a die, what is

the probability that the
outcome is odd?
Let the sample size of an experiment be |S| and the event size be |
E|. Then,
P(E)=
Let the sample size of an experiment be |S| and the event size be |
E|. Then,
P(E)=
Let the sample size of an experiment be |S| and the event size be |
E|. Then,
P(E)=
Let the sample size of an experiment be |S| and the event size be |
E|. Then,
P(E)=
5/9
2/3
7/9

0.48
 4/52 = 1/13
13/52 = 1/4
12/52 = 3/13
2/52 = 1/26
26/52 = 1/2

4/12 = 1/3

10/38 = 5/19 = 55.56

Random Variables

A variable is something which can

change its value. It may vary with
different outcomes of an experiment. If
the value of a variable depends upon the
outcome of a random experiment it is a
random variable. A random variable can
take up any real value.
A discrete random variable A continuous random
is a variable whose value is variable is a variable whose
obtained by counting value is obtained by
measuring
Examples: Examples:
• number of students • height of students in class
present • weight of students in class
• number of red marbles in a • time it takes to get to
jar school
• number of heads when • distance traveled between
flipping three coins classes
• students’ grade level
 Classify the following random variables as
discrete or continuous.
C 1.The speed of the car
D 2.The number of voters favoring a
candidate
C 3.The time needed to finish the test
C 4.The weight of newborns each year in a
hospital
C 5.The amount of sugar in a cup of coffee
 Classify the following random variables as discrete
or continuous.
D 6. The number of deaths per year attributed to lung
cancer.
C 7. The average amount of electricity consumed per
household per month
D 8. The number of patient arrivals per hour at a
medical clinic
D 9. The number of dropout in a school district for a
period of 10 years
D 10. The number of female athletes
 Suppose that the District Supervisor is
selecting three Senior High School
students at random to be interviewed. Let
M be Male and F be Female. Let X be
the random variable representing the
number of female student selected by the
District Supervisor.
 FIND THE POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLES DESCRIBED IN EACH SITUATION.

1. Two balls are drawn in succession

without replacement from an urn containing
4 red balls and 5 blue balls. Let R be the
random variable representing the number
of red balls. Find the values of the random
variable R.
POSSIBLE VALUE OF THE 3R 1B 1 1R 4R 2 3B 5B 0
OUTCOMES RANDOM
VARIABLE X 3R 2B 1 2R 3R 2 4B 5B 0
1R 1B 1 3R 3B 1 2R 4R 2
1R 2B 1 3R 4B 1 3R 4R 2
1R 3B 1 3R 5B 1 1B 2B 0
1R 4B 1 4R 1B 1 1B 3B 0
1R 5B 1 4R 2B 1 1B 4B 0
2R 1B 1 4R 3B 1 1B 5B 0
2R 2B 1 4R 4B 1 2B 3B 0
2R 3B 1 4R 5B 1 2B 4B 0
2R 4B 1 1R 2R 2 2B 5B 0
2R 5B 1 1R 3R 2 3B 4B 0

The possible values are 0, 1, and 2

 FIND THE POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLES DESCRIBED IN EACH SITUATION.

2. In a hospital, a statistician records the

sex of newborn babies. Let M be the
random variable representing males among
five newborn babies.

The possible values are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

 FIND THE POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLES DESCRIBED IN EACH SITUATION.

3. Let Z be a random variable representing

the result of rolling a die.

The possible values are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

 FIND THE POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLES DESCRIBED IN EACH SITUATION.

4. Four coins are tossed. Let T be the

random variable representing the number
of tails that occur. Find the values of the
random variable T.

The possible values are 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4

 FIND THE POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLES DESCRIBED IN EACH SITUATION.
5. From a box containing 4 black balls and 2
green balls, 3 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 values of the random variable G .
The possible values are 0, 1, and 2
About
About the
the introduction
introduction

Welcome to our Math Mystery Escape Room!!

3
Here, you will find that Venus has a beautiful
2 1 planet from 3
name and is the second the Sun. It’s 3 1
2 8 than Mercury,
terribly hot, even hotter 8 and its 8
atmosphere is extremely poisonous 8
1
2
1 1 Thus, the values of random
variable X are {0,1, 2, & 3}
1
Progress:
0
 Y
DISTRIBUTIO Probability Histogram.

N
Probability Histogram of the Number of Heads
in Tossing Three Coins

0 1 2 3
 Y
DISTRIBUTIO
We may also define the
N mass
above probability
function in formula form:
 Y
DISTRIBUTIO
The set of all possible values of the random
variable X, together with their corresponding

N
associated probabilities , form the probability
distribution of X, If X is a discrete random
variable, the probability distribution is called a
probability mass function or pmf . The pmf is the
theoretical counterpart of a relative frequency
distribution for a sample data set. The pmf of X is
an actual function P (X=x) . It may be expressed in
tabular, graphical, or formula form.
 FIND THE POSSIBLE VALUES OF THE RANDOM
VARIABLES DESCRIBED IN EACH SITUATION.

1. Two balls are drawn in succession

without replacement from an urn containing
4 red balls and 5 blue balls. Let R be the
random variable representing the number
of red balls. Find the values of the random
variable R.
POSSIBLE VALUE OF THE 3R 1B 1 1R 4R 2 3B 5B 0
OUTCOMES RANDOM
VARIABLE X 3R 2B 1 2R 3R 2 4B 5B 0
1R 1B 1 3R 3B 1 2R 4R 2
1R 2B 1 3R 4B 1 3R 4R 2
1R 3B 1 3R 5B 1 1B 2B 0
1R 4B 1 4R 1B 1 1B 3B 0
1R 5B 1 4R 2B 1 1B 4B 0
2R 1B 1 4R 3B 1 1B 5B 0
2R 2B 1 4R 4B 1 2B 3B 0
2R 3B 1 4R 5B 1 2B 4B 0
2R 4B 1 1R 2R 2 2B 5B 0
2R 5B 1 1R 3R 2 3B 4B 0

The possible values are 0, 1, and 2

NOT A DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE
DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE
DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE
This
This is
is ana
ana

She is a very funny Turkish girl. She enjoys reading, playing

with her dogs and visiting her partner every weekend. She is
specially good in psychology and mathematics as she has a
very analytical mind. Her friends describe her as loyal and
loving
This
This is
is ana
ana

She is a very funny Turkish girl. She enjoys reading, playing

with her dogs and visiting her partner every weekend. She is
specially good in psychology and mathematics as she has a
very analytical mind. Her friends describe her as loyal and
loving

Progress:
This
This is
is ana
ana

She is a very funny Turkish girl. She enjoys reading, playing

with her dogs and visiting her partner every weekend. She is
specially good in psychology and mathematics as she has a
very analytical mind. Her friends describe her as loyal and
loving

Thus, the values of random variable Y are {0,1, 2, 3, 4, & 5}

 The probability histogram for this expirement is :
126

105

84

63

42

21

00 0 1 2 3 4 5
12

10
Let
Let US
US SUM
SUM IT
IT UP
UP
• A random variable is a discrete random variable if its set of possible
outcomes is countable , such as number of defective chairs produced
in a factory
• A random variable is continuous random variable if it takes a
continuous scale such as heights, weights, and temperature.

Properties of a Probability Distribution

1. The probability of each value of x is a value between 0 and 1.

2. The sum of the probabilities of a value is equal to 1.In symbol,

ΣP(X) = 1.
Group
Group 11
Construct a probability distribution in tabular
form for the random variable described in
each situation.

Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the

random variable representing the number of
tails that occur.
Group
Group 22
Construct a probability distribution in tabular form for the
random variable described in each situation.

A shipment five computers contains two that are slightly

defective. A retailer receives three of these computers at
random. Let Z represent the number of computers
purchased by the retailer which are slightly defective.
Group
Group 33
Construct a probability distribution in tabular form for the
random variable described in each situation.

Make a probability distribution

table for the numbers on the
spinning wheel. Let X be the
number on the wheel.
RUBRICS
RUBRICS
References:
References:
Avillano-Tales, Karen. Senior High School Statistics and
Probability.FNB Educational, Inc. 2016

Belecina, R.R., Baccay, E.S., & Mateo E.B. Statistics & Probability.
Rex Book Store.2016

Chua, S.L., Dela Cruz, E Jr O., Aguilar, I.C., Rodriguez, A.A.&

Puro, L.M. Soaring 21st Century Mathematics (Statistics &
Probability).Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.2016