STATISTICS AND
PROBABILITY
Lesson Introduction
If three coins are tossed, what
numbers can be assigned for the
frequency of heads that will occur?
RANDOM VARIABLES
and
PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTIONS.
The Concepts of Random Variables
What is RANDOM VARIABLE?
Random Variable
➢ written in capital letter.
➢ is a function that associates a real number
whose values are denoted by chance.
➢ Example:
Random variable 𝐗, the number of dots facing
up after rolling a die.
➢Sample Space – the set of all possible
outcomes of any experiment.
(Ex. Tossing two coins – HH, HT, TH, TT)
There are two types of random variable:
DISCRETE CONTINUOUS
RANDOM RANDOM
VARIABLE VARIABLE
Discrete Random Variable
➢ its values are obtained through counting.
Examples:
✓ number of students inside the classroom.
✓ number of honor students in a class.
the sample space is 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆 (can be counted).
Continuous Random Variable
➢ its values are obtained through measurement.
Examples:
✓ growth of tomato seedlings per week.
✓ time needed to finish an exam.
✓ weight of pigs after 3 months.
There are 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆 elements in the sample
space.
Probability Distribution of
Discrete Random Variables
Random variables with their corresponding
possible values.
EXAMPLE 1:
Suppose three cell phones are tested at random.
We want to find out the number of defective cell
phones that occur.
• Let 𝐗 be the random variable representing
the number of defective cellphones.
• Let 𝐃 be the defective cellphone and 𝐍
for non – defective cellphone.
Possible Outcomes
NNN NDD
NND DND
NDN DDN
DNN DDD
To each outcome in the sample space we
shall assign a value.
0 – if there is no defective cellphone
1 – if there is 1 defective cellphone
2 – if there are two defective cellphones
3 – if there are three defective cellphones
The number of defective cell phones is a
𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.
The possible values of this random
variable 𝐗 are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
EXAMPLE 2:
Tossing Three Coins
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. Complete the table below.
The possible values of this random
variable 𝐘 are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
EXAMPLE 3:
Drawing Balls from an Urn
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.
The possible values of this random
variable 𝐙 are 0, 1, and 2.
Let’s have an
Activity!
Activity 1:
Four coins are tossed. Let 𝒁 be the random
variable representing the number of heads
that occur. Find the values of the random
variable 𝒁. Complete the table below.
