Discrete Random Variables and

their Probability Distribution

Random variables
Discrete random variables
Continuous random variables
 Discrete random variables
• Random variable: this is a variable whose
outcome is determined by a random
experiment and it can be discrete or
continuous
• Discrete Random Variable: this is a random
variable that assumes countable values
• Continuous Random Variable: This is a
random variable that can assume any value
contained in one or more intervals
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable
• The probability distribution of a discrete random
variable lists all the possible values that the random
variable can assume and their corresponding
probabilities
• Example: the following tables shows the frequency
and relative frequency Distributions of the number
of vehicles owned by 2000 families
• Let x be the number of vehicles owned by a
randomly selected family. Write the probability
distribution of x.
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Frequency and Relative Frequency
Distributions of the Number of Vehicles
Owned by Families
NO. of Frequency Relative Frequency
Vehicles
0 30 30/2000 = 0.015
1 470 470/2000 = 0.235
2 850 850/2000 = 0.425
3 490 490/2000 = 0.245
4 160 160/2000 = 0.08
N = 2000 Sum = 1
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Solution:

NO. of Vehicles Owned P(x)

0 0.015
1 0.235
2 0.425
3 0.245
4 0.08
∑p(x) = 1.00
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Two Characteristics of a Probability Distribution of a
discrete random variable:
1. 0 < p(x) < 1 for each value of x
2. ∑p(x) = 1
• These two characteristics are also called the two
conditions that a probability distribution must satisfy
• we can read the probability for any value of x.
– For example, the probability that a randomly selected
family from this town owns two vehicles is .425. This
probability is written as
• P(x = 2) = 0.425 or P(2) = 0.425
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• The probability that the selected family owns more than
two vehicles is given by the sum of the probabilities of
owning three and four vehicles. This probability is 0.245
+ 0.080 = 0.325, which can be written as;
– P(x > 2) = p(x = 3) + p(x = 4) = p(3) + p(4) = 0.245 + 0.080 =
0.325
• The probability distribution of a discrete random
variable can be presented in the form of a mathematical
formula, a table, or a graph.
• Present the above probability distribution on a bar
graph
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Try this: The following table lists the probability distribution of the
number of breakdowns per week for an x-ray machine based on
past data.
Breakdowns per week 0 1 2 3
Probability 0.15 0.20 0.35 0.30

a) Present this information using a probability distribution table and a

bar graph
b) Find the probability that the number of breakdowns for this
machine during a given week is:
a) exactly 2
b) 0 to 2
c) More than 1
d) At most 1
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Example: According to a survey, 60% of all
students at a large university suffer from math
anxiety. Two students are randomly selected
from this university.
• Let x denote the number of students in this
sample who suffer from math anxiety. Develop
the probability distribution of x.
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Solution:
– Let us define the following two events:
• N = the student selected does not suffer from math anxiety
• M = the student selected suffers from math anxiety
• There are four possible outcomes for this experiment:
NN (neither of the students suffers from math
anxiety), NM (the first student does not suffer from
math anxiety and the second does), MN (the first
student suffers from math anxiety and the second
does not), and MM (both students suffer from math
anxiety).
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Solution cont—
– Because 60% of the students suffer from math
anxiety and 40% do not, the probability is 0.60 that
any student selected suffers from math anxiety and
0.40 that he or she does not.
– Therefore the following will be true; (use tree
diagram)
• P(x = 0) = P(NN) 0.16
• P(x = 1) = P(NM or MN) = P(NM) = P(MN) 0 .24 + 0.24 =
0.48
• P(x = 2) = P(MM) = 0.36
 Probability Distribution of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Probability Distribution table of the Number
of Students with Math Anxiety in a Sample of
Two Students
x P(x)
0 0.16
1 0.48
2 0.36
∑p(x) = 1.00
 Mean of a discrete random variable
• The mean of a discrete random variable x is
the value that is expected to occur per
repetition, on average, if an experiment is
repeated a large number of times.
– It is denoted by μ and calculated as
μ = ∑xP(x)
– The mean of a discrete random variable x is also
called its expected value and is denoted by E(x);
that is, E(x) = ∑xP(x)
Mean of a discrete random variable cont--

• Example:
– Using the probability distribution table of the
breakdown of the x-ray machine, find the mean
number of breakdowns per week.
x P(x) Xp(x)
0 0.15 0.00
1 0.20 0.20
2 0.35 0.70
3 0.30 0.60
∑xp(x) = 1.80
Mean of a discrete random variable cont--

• Solution:
• To find the mean number of breakdowns per
week for this machine, we multiply each value
of x by its probability and add these products.
This sum gives the mean of the probability
distribution of x. The products xP(x) are listed
in the third column of the table
• The sum of these products gives ∑xP(x), which
is the mean of x, and it is 1.80
 Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Random Variable
• The standard deviation of a discrete random
variable x measures the spread of its
probability distribution and is computed as
∑x²p(x) - μ²
 Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Example:
• Baier’s Electronics manufactures computer parts that
are supplied to many computer companies. Despite
the fact that two quality control inspectors at Baier’s
Electronics check every part for defects before it is
shipped to another company, a few defective parts
do pass through these inspections undetected.
• Let x denote the number of defective computer parts
in a shipment of 400. The following table gives the
probability distribution of x.
 Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Compute the standard deviation of x
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
P(x) 0.02 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.08

• Solution:
– The following table shows all the calculations
required for the computation of standard
deviation:
 Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Solution cont—
x P(x) Xp(x) x² X²p(x)
0 0.02 0.0 0 0.00
1 0.2 0.2 1 0.20
2 0.3 0.6 4 1.20
3 0.3 0.9 9 2.70
4 0.1 0.4 16 1.60
5 0.08 0.4 25 2.00
∑xp(x) = 2.50 ∑x²p(x) = 7.70
 Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• We perform the following steps to compute the
standard deviation of x.
– Step 1: Compute the mean of the discrete random variable.
• The sum of the products xP(x), recorded in the third column of
the table, gives the mean of x.
• μ = ∑xp(x) = 2.50 defective parts in 400
– Step 2: Compute the value of ∑x²P(x).
• First we square each value of x and record it in the fourth column
of the table, thenwe multiply these values of x² by the
corresponding values of P(x). The resulting values of x²P(x) are
recorded in the fifth column of the. The sum of this column is,
∑x²P(x) = 7.70
 Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Random Variable cont--
• Solution cont—
– Step 3: Substitute the values of μ and x²P(x) in the formula
for the standard deviation of x and simplify.
• By performing this step, we obtain
Square root of 7.70 – (2.5)² = square root of 1.45 = 1.204
– Thus, a given shipment of 400 computer parts is expected
to contain an average of 2.50 defective parts with a
standard deviation of 1.204.
• Because the standard deviation of a discrete random
variable is obtained by taking the positive square root,
its value is never negative.