Department of Statistics
University College, Thiruvananthapuram
FYUGP Programme 2024-25
Course Type : Minor
Course Code : UK2DSCSTA102
Course Title : QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYTICS-II
Module 4
Dr. Z. A. A. ASHRAF
Module 4: Probability, Random Variables and Distributions
Probability: definition and examples of Random Experiment, sample space, events,
simple and composite events, exhaustive, mutually exclusive, equally likely and
independent events. Classical definition of probability, elementary properties of
probability, addition theorem for two events (statement only), concept of conditional
probability of two events, independence of two events.
Random variables: Discrete and continuous random variables (definition and
examples), probability mass function and probability density function (definition and
properties only) .
Discrete Probability distributions: Binomial and Poisson distribution probability mass
function, mean and variance only (no derivations)), simple problems to compute
binomial and Poisson probabilities,
Continuous Probability distributions: Normal distribution – Probability density
function, mean and variance (no derivation), important properties of normal
distribution (no derivation required), simple examples to find probability using
standard normal tables
Probability
Random Experiment
• Definition : A random experiment is an experiment or process that leads to well-defined
outcomes, where the outcome cannot be predicted with certainty before the experiment is
conducted.
• Or when an experiment satisfies the following two conditions, it is called a random
experiment.
(i) It has more than one possible outcome.
(ii) It is not possible to predict the outcome in advance.
• Examples :
• Tossing a coin (outcome: heads or tails)
• Rolling a die (outcome: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6)
• Selecting a student from first row (outcome :…………….)
Sample space
Events
Classical definition of probability
For a random experiment, if there are N mutually exclusive, equally likely an
exhaustive cases, m are favorable to the happening of an event E, then the
probability of E is defined as P(E) = m/N
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Problem 1
• Two fair dice are rolled. What is the probability of getting a sum of 7?
Solution
• Two fair dice are rolled. What is the probability of getting a sum of 7?
• Sample Space = { (1,1)(1,2)………………..(1,6)
(2,1)(2,2)………………..(2,6)
(3,1)(3,2)………………..(3,6)
(4,1)(4,2)………………..(4,6)
(5,1)(5,2)………………..(5,6)
(6,1)(6,2)………………..(6,6) }
• Possible outcomes = 6 × 6 = 36
• Favorable outcomes (sum = 7): (1,6), (2,5), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1).
Number of favorable outcomes = 6.
• Probability= 6/ 36= 1/ 6
Problem 2
• A bag contains 5 red balls and 7 blue balls. A ball is picked at random.
What is the probability of picking a red ball?
Solution
Problem 3
• A coin is tossed 3 times. What is the probability of getting exactly 2
heads?
Solution
Problem 4
• A box contains 3 black, 5 white, and 2 blue marbles. If a marble is
drawn randomly, what is the probability that it is not white?
Solution
Problem 5
• A number is randomly selected from the numbers 1 to 20. What is the
probability of getting a prime number?
Solution
Addition theorem for two events
Problem 1
• In a school of 300 students, 120 like Maths, 180 like Science, and 80
like both Maths and Science. What is the probability that a randomly
selected student likes either Maths or Science?
Solution
Problem 2
• A die is rolled. What is the probability of getting a number which is
either even or a prime number?
Solution
Problem 3
• A bag contains 15 marbles, which are 5 red, 6 blue, and 4 green.
If you draw one marble at random, what is the probability that it is
either red or green?
Solution
Conditional probability
Problem 4
In a college, 40% of students play cricket, 30% play football, and
20% play both.
• a) Probability that a randomly selected student plays cricket,
given that they play football.
• b) Probability that a randomly selected student plays football,
given that they play cricket.
Solution
Independence of two events.
Elementary properties of probability
Random Variables
Discrete random variables
Continuous random variables
Probability mass function
Example
Cumulative Distribution function (Discrete Case)
Probability density function
Example
Cumulative Distribution function (Continues case)
Discrete Probability distributions
Binomial distribution
Mean and variance of Binomial distribution
Problems
Problem 5
Poisson distribution
Mean and variance of Poisson distribution
Problems using Poisson distribution
(e -6 =0.00247)
(e - 3 = 0.04978)
(e - 2 = 0.1353)
Continuous Probability distributions
Normal distribution
Mean and variance of Normal
Mean and variance of Normal (cont.)
Properties of Normal distribution
Properties of Normal distribution (cont.)
Question 2
Question 1
Standard Normal distribution
Finding Probability using standard normal tables
Problem 1
Problem 2
Problem 3
Problem 4
Problem 5
