VARIABLES

VARIABLE – is a characteristic or attribute that can assume

different values.
- We use capital letters to denote or represent a
variable.
 VARIABLES
Classifications of Variables:

1. Qualitative Variables – variables that can be placed into distinct

categories, according to some characteristics or attribute.
Examples: gender, religious preference, geographic locations.

2. Quantitative Variables – numerical and can be ordered or

ranked.
Examples: age, heights, weights, body temperature, no. of
siblings
 VARIABLES
3. Random Variable
• is a function that associates a real number to each element in
the sample space. It is also a variable whose values are
determined by chance.
• is a numerical quantity that is assigned to the outcome of an
experiment. It is a variable that assumes numerical values
associated with the events of an experiment.

a. Discrete random variable – if the set of possible outcomes is

countable.
b. Continuous random variable – if it takes on values on a
continuous scale.
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of defective computers produced by

a manufacturer

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The weight of a new born each year in a hospital

Continuous
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of siblings in a family of a region

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The amount of paint utilized in a building project

Continuous
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of dropout in a school district for a

period of 10 years

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The speed of a car

Continuous
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of female athletes

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The time needed to finish the test

Continuous
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The amount of sugar in a cup of coffee

Continuous
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Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of people who are playing lotto each

day

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of accidents per year at an

intersection

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of voters favoring a candidate

Discrete
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Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of bushels of apples per hectare this

year

Continuous
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The number of patient arrivals per hour at a

medical clinic

Discrete
 VARIABLES

Classify the following random variables as discrete or

continuous:

The average amount of electricity consumed per

household per month.

Continuous
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Experiment – any activity, which can be done repeatedly under
similar conditions.

Sample Space – Set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.

Experiment Sample Space

S={HHH, HHT, HTT, TTT, TTH,

Tossing three coins
THH, THT, HTH}
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Experiment – any activity, which can be done repeatedly under
similar conditions.

Sample Space – Set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.

Experiment Sample Space

Rolling a die and tossing a S={1H, 1T, 2H, 2T, 3H, 3T, 4H, 4T,
coin simultaneously 5H, 5T, 6H, 6T}
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Experiment – any activity, which can be done repeatedly under
similar conditions.

Sample Space – Set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.

Experiment Sample Space

Drawing a spade from a

deck of cards S={52 characters}
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Experiment – any activity, which can be done repeatedly under
similar conditions.

Sample Space – Set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.

Experiment Sample Space

Getting a defective item when
two items are randomly selected
from a box of two defective and S={DD, DN, NN, ND}
three non-defective items
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Experiment – any activity, which can be done repeatedly under
similar conditions.

Sample Space – Set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.

Experiment Sample Space

Drawing a card greater than S={52 characters}

7 from a deck of cards
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Values of the Random Variable

Steps in determining the values of the random variable:

1. Determine the sample space.
2. Count the number of occurrence of the variable in each outcome.
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Values of the Random Variable
Steps in determining the values of the random variable:
1. Determine the sample space.
2. Count the number of occurrence of the variable in each outcome.

Illustrative Example 1: Defective Cellphones

Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. Find out
the number of defective cell phones that occur. Thus, to each
outcome in the sample space assign a value. Use 𝑵 to represent
non-defective cell phones and 𝑫 for defective cell phones.
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Illustrative Example 1: Defective Cellphones
Let 𝑫 represent the defective cell phone and 𝑵 represent the non-defective
cellphone. If we let 𝑿 be the random variable representing the number of defective cell
phones, can you show the values of the random variable 𝑿?

Steps in determining the Possible Outcomes Value of the Random Variable 𝑿

(number of the defective cell phones)
values of the random
NNN 0
variable:
NND 1
1. Determine the sample space. NDN 1
Sample Space: NDD 2
𝑺 ={NNN, NND,NDN, NDD, DND, DND 2
DDD,DNN, DDN} DDD 3
2. Count the number of DNN 1
occurrence of the variable in
DDN 2
each outcome.
Values of the random variable X are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Illustrative 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.
Steps in determining the
Possible Outcomes Value of the Random Variable Y
values of the random
(number of tails)
variable:
TTT 3
TTH 2
1. Determine the sample space.
Sample Space: THH 1
𝑺 ={TTT, TTH, THH, THT, HTH, THT 2
HTT,HHT,HHH} HTH 1
2. Count the number of HTT 2
occurrence of the variable in HHT 1
each outcome. HHH 0
Values of the random variable Y are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Illustrative 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. Find
the values of the variable 𝒁.
Steps in determining the
Possible Outcomes Value of the Random Variable Z
values of the random
(number of blue balls)
variable: RR 0
RB 1
1. Determine the sample space.
BB 2
Sample Space:
BR 1
𝑺 = {𝑹𝑹, 𝑹𝑩, 𝑩𝑩, 𝑩𝑹}

2. Count the number of

occurrence of the variable in
Values of the random variable Z are 0, 1, and 2
each outcome.
Look Back and Reflect
 How do you find the values of a random
variable?
 How do you know whether a random variable
is continuous or discrete?
 What is the difference between continuous and
discrete random variables?
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Activity 1: Identify the following random variables as Discrete
or Continuous.
1. The number of defective computers produced
2. The time needed to finish the test
3. The amount of paint utilized in a building project
4. The number of deaths per year attributed to cancer
5. The number of siblings in a family in Region VI
6. The students who joined the field trip
7. The weight of professional boxers
8. The grade point average of students
9. The members of the Board of Directors present in a meeting
10. The height of basketball players in PBA
EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES
Activity 2. Find the values of the identified random variables.
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.
2. A shipment of five computers contains two that are slightly defective. If a retailer receives
three of these computers at random, list the elements of the sample space S using the
letters D and N for defective and non-defective computers, respectively. To each sample
point, assign a value of the random variable X representing the number of computers
purchased by the retailer which are slightly defective.
3. Let T be a random variable giving the number of heads plus the number of tails in three
tosses of a coin. List the sample space S for the three tosses of the coins and assign a
value to each sample point.
4. From a box containing 4 black balls and 2 green balls, 3 balls are drawn in succession.
Each ball is placed back in the box before the next draw is made. Let G be a random
variable representing the number of green balls that occur. Find the values of the random
variable G.