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C1-Lesson 2.2-Computing The Mean of A Discrete Probability Distribution

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Archimedes Arvie Garcia
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8 views19 pages

C1-Lesson 2.2-Computing The Mean of A Discrete Probability Distribution

Uploaded by

Archimedes Arvie Garcia
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Mean of a

Discrete
Probability
Distribution

Probability and Statistics


ENTRY CARD
A. Given the values of the variables X and
Y, evaluate the following summations:

= 12
=5
2. Y = 60
= 17
= 240
Getting Ready
Mathematicians usually
consider the outcomes of a coin
toss as a random event. That is,
each probability of getting a head is
and the probability of getting a tail
is However, it is not possible to
predict with 100% certainty which
outcome will occur.
Example 1:
Number of Spots
Consider rolling a die.
What is the average
number of spots that
would appear.
Steps in Finding the
Mean of a
Probability
Distribution
Steps Solution
1. Construct the Number of Spots X Probability
probability P(X)
distribution for the 1
random variable X
representing the 2
number of spots 3
that would appear. 4
5
6
Steps Solution
2. Multiply the Number of Probability X●P(X)
value of the Spots X P(X)
random variable
X by the 1
corresponding 2
probability.
3
4
5
6
Steps Solution
3. Add the Number of Probability X●P(X)
results obtained Spots X P(X)
in Step 2.
1

6
The value obtained in Step 3 is called
the mean of the random variable X or the
mean of the probability distribution of X.
What does the mean tell us? The mean tells
us the average number of spots that would
appear in a roll of a die. So, the average
number of spots that would appear is 3.5.
Although the die will never show a number,
which is 3.5, this implies that rolling the die
many times, the theoretical mean would be
3.5.
Formula for the Mean of the
Probability Distribution
The mean of a random variable of a discrete probability
distribution is:
… or
ΣX●P(X)

Where:
are the random variable of X;
and
are the corresponding
probabilities.
Example 2:
Grocery Items
The probabilities that a
customer will buy 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5
items in a grocery store are
respectively. What is the average
number of items that a customer
will buy?
Solution:
Number of Items Probability X●P(X)
X P(X)
1
2
3
4
5
Example 3:
Surgery Patients
The probabilities that a
surgeon operates on 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7
patients on any day are 0.15, 0.10,
0.20, 0.25 and 0.30, respectively.
Find the number of average
number of patients that a surgeon
operates on a day.
Solution:
Number of Probability X●P(X)
Patients P(X)
X
3 0.15 0.45
4 0.10 0.40
5 0.20 1.00
6 0.25 1.50
7 0.30 2.10
Seatwork:
Complete the table and find the mean of
the following distribution.
• 1.
X P(X) X●P(X)
1

11

16

21
X P(X) X●P(X)
• 2.

3 0.15
6 0.35
8 0.40
10 0.10
Solve the following problems.
The probabilities of a machine
3.

manufacturing 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5
defective parts in one day are
0.75, 0.17, 0.04, 0.025, 0.01 and
0.005, respectively. Find the
mean of the probability
distribution.
4. A bakeshop owner determines the number
ofboxes of pandesal that are delivered each day.
Find the mean of the probability distribution
shown. If the manager stated that 35 boxes of
pandesal were delivered in one day, do you think
that this is a believable claim?
Number of Boxes Probability
(X) P(X)
35 0.10
36 0.20
37 0.30
38 0.30
39 0.10
Look Back and Reflect
• What are the steps in
computing the mean
probability distribution
of a random variable?
How is it similar to the
procedure in finding the
mean of a frequency

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