Lesson 5

Solving Problems
involving the Mean and
Variance of a Discrete
Random Variable

Statistics and Probability

Core Subject – Senior High School
 At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the
following:

1. Interpret the mean and variance of

a discrete random variable
Learning (M11/12SP-IIIb-3).
Competen 2. Solve problems involving mean and
cies variance of probability distributions
(M11/12SP-IIIb-4).

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 At the end of the lesson, I should be
able to:
Learning 1. Interpret the mean and variance of a
Objectives discrete random variable.
2. Solve problems involving the mean
and the variance of a discrete random
variable.

3
 Given the probability distribution and its
corresponding X • P(X) values,
compute for the expected value.

LET US
RECALL!

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 Given the data below, compute the
variance and standard deviation.

LET US
RECALL!

TOTA TOTA
L L

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 In your own understanding on the
previous lesson, how would you
define the mean of a discrete
LET US
RECALL! random variable?
How would you define the variance
and standard deviation of a
discrete random variable?

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 Mean of a Discrete Random
1
Variable
Let be a discrete random
variable. The expected value of ,
also referred to as the mean of , is

Mean of a To compute for the mean of a discrete

Discrete random variable, follow these steps:
Random 1. Construct the probability distribution.
Variable 2. Determine the value of
3. Add all the values of to determine
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 Variance and Standard
2 Deviation ( of a Discrete
Random Variable
describes the dispersion or
Variance and the variability of the
Standard The distribution.
variance can be computed using
Deviation of a the formula .
Discrete The standard deviation is the square
Random root of the variance. Thus, its formula is
Variable expressed as .
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 Properties of the Mean of a
3
Discrete Random Variable
Let and be random variables and
let and be constants. The
following properties hold:
Mean of a 1.
Discrete 2.
3.
Random 4.
Variable 5. , provided that and are
independent of each other.
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 Properties of the Variance
4
Let and be random variables,
and let and be constants.
The following properties hold:
Variance and 1.
Standard 2. , provided that and are
Deviation of a independent of each other.
Discrete
Random
Variable
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 Example 1: Eagles always lay three
eggs at a time. The number of eggs (X)
that hatch is described by the following
probability distribution. Find the
expected value, variance and standard
Let’s try deviation..
it!

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 Example 1: Eagles always lay three
eggs at a time. The number of eggs (X)
that hatch is described by the following
probability distribution. Find the
expected value.
Let’s try
it!

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 Example 2: A certain investment
company is currently offering three
investment options. Using the concept
of probability mass function, which
option has the best deal?

Let’s try
it!

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 Example 3: Suppose the investment
company proposed another option.
Would you rather choose this option
over the other three investments?

Let’s try
it!

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 Example 4: A radiologist records the number
of patients waiting in queue every 8 a.m. for
X-ray in a certain hospital for 20 consecutive
days. The following are his observations:

Let’s try
it!
If X is a random variable that pertains to the
number of patients waiting in queue for X-ray
every 8 a.m. in a certain hospital, construct a
probability distribution for the random
variable X. Compute for the mean and
variance of the distribution.
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 Example 4:
Construct a probability distribution for the
random variable X.

Let’s try
it!
or

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 Example 4:
Compute the mean and variance for the
random variable X.

0
Let’s try 0.25
it! 0.3

TOTA TOTA
2.2 6
L L
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 Example 5: The data shown below is the
number of laptops sold per day during the
past six months and its corresponding
probability. Compute for the expected value
of laptop sales and interpret the result.
Let’s try
it!

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 Example 6: The table below shows the
number of cellphones being sent for repair
(per day) and their corresponding
percentages with a mean of 2.04. Determine
the variance, and standard deviation of the
probability distribution and interpret their
Let’s try values.
it!

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 You are comparing the data retrieved from
the sales of computers last year and the
organized data this year. Last year, the
expected value for computer sales was 4
computers per day with a standard
deviation of 1.21 computers. Given the set
Individu of data for this year below, which year
yields better sales?
al Number of Computers Probability

Practice

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 You are the Assistant School Principal for
Operations and Learner Support at KNCHS.
Your School Principal asked you to prepare a
report about a necessary renovation of the
canteen to cater the number of students going
during recess. Your goal for this task is to predict
Performa the number of students going to the canteen
nce Task during recess. To do this, you will observe the
number of students taking their recess in the
1 canteen for 7 days. Form a group with 5
members to help you with the task and together,
as a team, prepare a report showing the
probability distribution for the random variable
that represents the number of students. After a
7-day observation, accomplish your report and
submit it to the School Principal. 21
At the end of the lesson, I CAN:
1. Interpret the mean and variance of a
discrete random variable.
2. Solve problems involving the mean and the
variance of a discrete random variable.

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STUDY IN
ADVANCE

1. The Normal Random

Variable and its Characteristics

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END OF
SESSION 5

Thank you
for your participation!

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