Discrete random

variables
 ILO(Intended Learning Outcomes)
After the class, you should be able to…
1. draw up a probability distribution table relating to a given situation involving a
discrete random variable X, and calculate E(X) and Var(X)

2. use formulae for probabilities for the binomial and geometric distributions, and
recognise practical situations where these distributions are suitable models

3. use formulae for the expectation and variance of the binomial distribution and for
the expectation of the geometric distribution
1. Discrete random variables
• A variable is said to be discrete and random if it can take only certain values that
occur by chance.

• The probability distribution of a discrete random variable is a display of all its

possible values and their corresponding probabilities.
1. Discrete random variables
• Consider tossing two fair coins
1. Discrete random variables
• A fair square spinner with sides labelled 1,2, 3 and 4 is spun twice. The two scores
obtained are added together to give the total, X. Draw up the probability distribution
table for X .
1. Discrete random variables
1. Discrete random variables

There are spaces for three more passengers on a bus, but eight youths,
one man and one woman wish to board.

The bus driver decides to select three of these people at random and
allow them to board.
Draw up the probability distribution table for Y, the number of youths
selected.
1. Discrete random variables

At a garden centre, there is a display of roses: 25 are red, 20 are white, 15 are pink and
5 are orange. Three roses are chosen at random.

I. Show that the probability of selecting three red roses is approximately 0.0527.

II. Draw up the probability distribution table for the number of red roses selected.

III. Find the probability that at least one red rose is selected.
1. Discrete random variables

Two ordinary fair dice are rolled. A score of 3 points is awarded if exactly
one die shows an odd number and there is also a difference of 1 between
the two numbers obtained. A player who rolls two even numbers is
awarded a score of 2 points, otherwise a player scores 1 point.
Draw up the probability distribution table for S, the number of points
awarded.
 Find the probability that a player scores 3 points, given that the sum of
the numbers on their two dice is greater than 9.
2. Expectation and variance of a discrete random variable

• The mean of a discrete random variable X is referred to as its

expectation, and is written E(X).

• The variance and standard deviation of a discrete random variable give

a measure of the spread of values around the mean
2. Expectation and variance of a discrete random variable
• Suppose we have a biased spinner with which we can score 0,1,2 or 3. The
probabilities for these scores, X , are as given in the following table and are also
represented in the graph.
2. Expectation and variance of a discrete random variable

Two students are randomly selected from a class of 12 girls and 18 boys.

I. Find the expected number of girls and the expected number of boys.

II. Write the ratio of the expected number of girls to the expected
number of boys in simplified form. What do you notice about this
ratio?

III. Calculate the variance of the number of girls selected.

2. Expectation and variance of a discrete random variable

Two ordinary fair dice are rolled. The discrete random variable X is the lowest
common multiple of the two numbers rolled.

I. Draw up the probability distribution table for X .

II. Find E (X) and P[A>E(X)].

III. Calculate Var(X).

2. Expectation and variance of a discrete random variable

An ordinary fair die is rolled. If the die shows an odd number then S, the
score awarded, is equal to that number. If the die shows an even number,
then the die is rolled again. If on the second roll it shows an odd number,
then that is the score awarded. If the die shows an even number on the
second roll, the score awarded is equal to half of that even number.

I. List the possible values of S and draw up a probability distribution table.

II. Find P[S >E(S)].

III. Calculate the exact value of Var(S).

2. Expectation and variance of a discrete random variable

• A binomial distribution can be used to model the number of successes

in a fixed number of independent trials.

• A geometric distribution can be used to model the number of trials up

to and including the first success in an infinite number of independent
trials.
3.The binomial distribution
3. The binomial distribution

A discrete random variable that meets the following criteria is said to have a
binomial distribution and it is defined by its two parameters, n and p.

①There are just two possible outcomes for each trial (i.e. success or
failure).

②The probability of success in each trial, p, is constant.

③There are n repeated independent trials.

④n is finite.

denoted by
3. The binomial distribution

• If

• then the probability of r successes is

3. The binomial distribution-Example

A regular pentagonal spinner is shown. Find the probability that 10 spins

produce exactly three As.
3. The binomial distribution-Example

• Given that X ~ B(8, 0.7), find P(X > 6), correct to 3 significant figures.
3. The binomial distribution-Practice

Find the probability that each of the following events occur.

Exactly five heads are obtained when a fair coin is tossed nine times.

 Exactly two 6s are obtained with 11 rolls of a fair die.

There is a 15% chance of rain on any particular day during the next 14 days.
Find the probability that, during the next 14 days, it rains on:
 exactly 2 days

 at most 2 days.
3. The binomial distribution-Practice

In a particular country, 90% of both females and males drink tea. Of those
who drink tea, 40% of the females and 60% of the males drink it with
sugar. Find the probability that in a random selection of two females and
two males:
 all four people drink tea

an equal number of females and males drink tea with sugar.
3. The binomial distribution-Practice

Expectation and variance of the binomial distribution

3. The binomial distribution-Practice

• W has a binomial distribution, where E(X) = 2.7 and Var(X) = 0.27. Find
the values of n and p and use them to draw up the probability
distribution table for W.
3. The binomial distribution-Practice

It is estimated that 1.3% of the matches produced at a factory are

damaged in some way. A household box contains 462 matches.

I. Calculate the expected number of damaged matches in a household

box.

II. Find the variance of the number of damaged matches and the
variance of the number of undamaged matches in a household box.

III. Show that approximately 10.4% of the household boxes are expected
to contain exactly eight damaged matches.
4. The geometric distribution

• The distribution of X, the number of trials up to and including the first

success in a series of repeated independent trials, is a discrete random
variable whose distribution is called a geometric distribution.
4. The geometric distribution

① There are just two possible outcomes for each trial (i.e. success or
failure).

② The probability of success in each trial, p, is constant.

③ The repeated trials are independent.

④ The repeated trials does not have a fixed number.

4. The geometric distribution

• For X ~ B(n, p), there are ways to obtain r successes.

• For X ~ Geo(p), there is only one way to obtain the first success on the
rth trial, and that is when there are r - 1 failures followed by a success.
4. The geometric distribution

In a particular country, 18% of adults wear contact lenses. Adults are

randomly selected and interviewed one at a time. Find the probability that
the first adult who wears contact lenses is:
one of the first 15 interviewed

not one of the first nine interviewed.

4. The geometric distribution

Repeated independent trials are carried out in which the probability of

success in each trial is 0.66.
Correct to 3 significant figures, find the probability that the first success
occurs:

I. on the third trial

II. on or before the second trial

III. after the third trial.

IV. Before 10th trial

4. The geometric distribution

A coin is biased such that the probability of obtaining heads with each
toss is equal to . The coin is tossed until the first head is obtained. Find the
probability that the coin is tossed:
at least six times

fewer than eight times.

4. The geometric distribution

The sides of a fair 5-sided spinner are marked 1,1,2, 3 and 4. It is spun
until the first score of 1 is obtained.

Find the probability that it is spun:

exactly twice

at most five times

at least eight times.

4. The geometric distribution

Expectation of the geometric distribution

4. The geometric distribution

• The random variable Y follows a geometric distribution. Given

that P(Y = 1) = 0.2, find E(Y).
End of Chapter Exercise
End of Chapter Exercise
End of Chapter Exercise

One plastic robot is given away free inside each packet of a certain brand of biscuits.
There are four colors of plastic robot (red, yellow, blue and green) and each color is
equally likely to occur. Nick buys some packets of these biscuits. Find the probability
that

He gets a green robot on opening his first packet,

He gets his first green robot on opening his fifth packet.

Nick’s friend Amos is also collecting robots.

 iii Find the probability that the first four packets Amos opens all contain different
colored robots.
End of Chapter Exercise

In Restaurant Bijoux 13% of customers rated the food as ‘poor’, 22% of customers
rated the food as ‘satisfactory’ and 65% rated it as ‘good’. A random sample of 12
customers who went for a meal at Restaurant Bijoux was taken.

Find the probability that more than 2 and fewer than 12 of them rated the food as
‘good’.

On a separate occasion, a random sample of n customers who went for a meal at the
restaurant was taken.

Find the smallest value of n for which the probability that at least 1 person will rate
the food as ‘poor’ is greater than 0.95.
End of Chapter Exercise
• A book publisher has noted that, on average, one page in eight contains at least one
spelling error, one page in five contains at least one punctuation error, and that
these errors occur independently and at random. The publisher checks 480
randomly selected pages from various books for errors.

How many pages are expected to contain at least one of both types of error? [2]

Find the probability that: I

I. the first spelling error occurs after the 10th page

II. the first punctuation error occurs before the 10th page

III. the 10th page is the first to contain both types of error.
4. Discrete random variables
4. Discrete random variables