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 Y
cell phone
NNN 0 N= Non-
defective cell
NND 1 phone
Y= 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 X be the random
variable representing the number of heads that occur.
Find the values of the random variable X. Complete the
table.
Possible Outcomes Value of the Random
Variable X
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 heads in each outcome in
the sample space and assign this number to this
outcome.
Legend:
X = Random
variable
representing the
number of Tails
H = Head
T = Tail
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 Y are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
• In activity 2, the possible values of random
variable X 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.
 QUIZ NO. 1
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.
6. The speed of bus.
7. The number of COVID-19 patients aging 60 and above 14.
8. The average weight of new born babies in the 2020
9. The number of vehicles owned by randomly selected individuals.
10.The average temperature of the costumers in a department store last
week as reflected in the logbook.
11. The number of chairs in a room.
12. The amount of rainfall in a day, measured in millimeters.
13. The number of steps a person takes in a day.
14. The length of a piece of string, measured in centimeters.
15. The number of employees in a company.
16. The age of a tree, measured in years.
17. The volume of a liquid in a container, measured in liters.
18. The number of text messages sent in a day.
19. The time spent watching a movie, measured in minutes.
20. The number of apples in a basket.
21. The amount of water in a glass, measured in milliliters.
22. The number of books on a library shelf.
23. The distance traveled by an airplane.
24. The number of goals scored in a soccer match.
25. The price of a product in dollars and cents.
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,

8 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.
 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…