Random Variables

STARTING POINT
SAMPLE SPACE - The set of all

possible outcomes of an
experiment.
TT, TH, HT, HH
Rolling a die and tossing a coin
1T, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 6T

1H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H
Drawing a spade from a deck of cards
A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, J, Q, K
Getting a defective item when two
items are randomly selected from a
box of two defective and three non-
defective items
DD, DN,
ND, NN
Drawing a card greater than 7 from a
deck of cards
VARIABLE
Characteristic or attribute
that can assume different
values.
RANDOM VARIABLES
Suppose three cellphones are
tested at random. We want to find
out the number of defective
cellphones that occur.
Let D represent the defective
cellphone and N represent the non-
defective cellphone. Let X be the
random variable representing the
number of defective cellphones.
STEPS
1.Determine the sample
space.
2. Count the number of
defective cellphones in each
outcome in the sample space
and assign this number to this
outcome.
Value of the Random Variable X
Possible Outcomes
(number of defective cellphones)
NNN 0
NND 1
NDN 1
DNN 1
NDD 2
DND 2
DDN 2
DDD 3
Therefore, the possible values of the
random variables X are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
RANDOM
VARIABLE
A variable being measured

to produce numerical
observations associated
with the random outcomes
of a chance experiment.
Example 1
Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be
the random variable representing the number
of tails that occur. Find the values of the
random variable Y.
STEPS
1. Determine the sample space.
2. Count the number of tails in each outcome in

the sample space and assign this number to this
outcome.
Example 2
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.
STEPS
2. Count the number of blue balls in each
outcome in the sample space and assign this
number to this outcome.
TWO TYPES OF RANDOM VARIABLES
Discrete Random Variables
Observed numerical values are counting and

assumes whole numbers only
Continuous Random Variables
Observed numerical values are result of measuring and may

take any numbers contained within any numerical intervals
Profile of professional basketball players during their amateur years
Random Variables
No. of No. of Playing

Points per Field Goal Height Weight
Players rebounds assists per time per
game (%) (in m) (in lbs)
per game game game
A 5 2 4 4.65 85 1.83 165
B 10 3 4 5.9 80.5 1.88 175
C 18 5 6 6.7 75.7 1.96 195
D 22 7 8 8 68.4 2.06 210
E 20 4 10 7.5 50 1.93 205
F 11 3 15 6 45.3 1.83 160
G 4 2 18 5 38.9 1.80 158.5
Discrete Random Variables Continuous Random Variables

Another examples:
 number of students per section
 the height and weight of a randomly chosen
individual from a population
 the duration of lecture
 the volume of fuel consumed by a bus on it’s
route
 the number of goods sold in a retail store
 name listed in a voting center
Classify the ff. according to type of random variable.
C 1. Volume of gasoline consumed by a n automatic car
D 2. Outcomes when tossing a coin
D 3. The number of deaths per year attributed to lung cancer

C 4. The angle of elevation projected by missile launchers
C 5. The interest rate on return on Investment (ROI)
C 6. Speed of a car
C 7. Weight of an overactive pituitary gland
D 8. Red blood cell count
D 9. The number of voters favoring a candidate
C 10. Length of incubation for an ostrich egg
Constructing
Probability
Distributions
Example 1
Suppose three cellphones are tested

at random. Let D represent the defective
cellphone and N represent the non-
defective cellphone. Let X be the
random variable representing the
number of defective cellphones.
Construct the probability distribution of
the random variable X.
STEPS
2. Count the number defective cellphones in

each outcome in the sample space and assign
this number to this outcome.
3. Assign probability values P(X), to each of the

value of the random variable.
Therefore, the
possible values of the
Value of the random variables X are 0,
Random Variable X 1, 2, and 3.
Possible
(number of
Outcomes
defective Number of
cellphones) Defective
Probability P(X)
Cellphones
NNN 0 X
NND 1 0 1
NDN 1 8
DNN 1 1 3
NDD 2 8
2 3
DND 2
8
DDN 2 3 1
DDD 3 8
Table 1.2. Probability Mass Function of
Discrete
Random Variable X
Number of Defective 0 1 2 3
Cellphones X
Probability P(X) 1 3 3 1
8 8 8 8
A discrete probability distribution or a

probability mass function consists of the values a
random variable can assume and the
corresponding probabilities of the values.
To construct a histogram for a
probability distribution, follow these
steps.
• Plot the values of the random
variables along the horizontal axis.
• Plot the probabilities along the
vertical axis.
Example 2
Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be
the random variable representing the number
of tails that occur. Construct the probability
distribution of the random variable Y.
STEPS
2. Count the number of tails in each outcome in
the sample space and assign this number to this
outcome.
Show the following:
a. Probability mass function
b. Histogram
Example 3
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.
Construct the probability distribution of the
random variable Z.
STEPS
2. Count the number of blue balls in each
outcome in the sample space and assign this
number to this outcome.
Show the following:
a. Probability mass function
b. Histogram
Properties of a Probability
Distribution
1. The probability of each value of the
random variable must be between
or equal to 0 or 1. In symbol, we write
it as
0 ≤ P(X) ≤ 1
2. The sum of the probabilities of all
values of the random variable must be
equal to 1. In symbol, we write it as
∑P(X) = 1
COMPUTING THE
MEAN AND
VARIANCE OF A
DISCRETE
PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTION
NUMBER OF SPOTS
Consider rolling a die. What is the
average number of spots that would
appear?
STEPS
1. Construct the probability distribution for
the random variable X representing the
number of spots that would appear.
2. Multiply the values of the random
variable X by its corresponding
probabilities.
3. Add the results obtained in Step 2.
The value obtained in step 3 is
called the mean of the random
variable X or the mean of the
probability distribution of X.
The formula is given as
µ = ∑[X • P(X)]
Con’t
STEPS
4. Subtract the mean from each value of the
random variable X.
5. Square the results obtained in Step 4.
6. Multiply the results obtained in Step 5 by
the corresponding probability.
7. Get the sum of the results obtained in Step
6.
The
8. Get theresult is the
square value
root of the
of the variance.
variance to get
the standard deviation.
FORMULA
To get the variance,
𝜎 𝟐 = Σ[(𝑋 − 𝜇)2 • 𝑃 𝑋 ]
To get the standard deviation,
𝜎= Σ[(𝑋 − 𝜇)2 • 𝑃 𝑋 ]
Example 1
SURGERY PATIENTS
The probabilities that a surgeon
operates on 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 patients in a
day are 0.15, 0.10, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30,
respectively.
a. Find the average number of patients
that a surgeon operates on a day.
b. Compute the variance and standard
deviation of the probability distribution.

Random Variables

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Random Variables

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STARTING POINT

SAMPLE SPACE - The set of all

1T, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T, 6T

A variable being measured

2. Count the number of tails in each outcome in

Discrete Random Variables

Observed numerical values are counting and

Continuous Random Variables

Observed numerical values are result of measuring and may

No. of No. of Playing

A 5 2 4 4.65 85 1.83 165

B 10 3 4 5.9 80.5 1.88 175

C 18 5 6 6.7 75.7 1.96 195

D 22 7 8 8 68.4 2.06 210

E 20 4 10 7.5 50 1.93 205

F 11 3 15 6 45.3 1.83 160

G 4 2 18 5 38.9 1.80 158.5

Discrete Random Variables Continuous Random Variables

D 3. The number of deaths per year attributed to lung cancer

Suppose three cellphones are tested

2. Count the number defective cellphones in

3. Assign probability values P(X), to each of the

A discrete probability distribution or a

To get the standard deviation,

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