Our lady of Fatima university

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Math and Physics Department
Pampanga Campus

MAT3: STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY

Introduction of Random
Variables
Jerica Nicole R. Flores, MAEd
Lecturer
 I: Introduction of Random Variables

1.1 Random 1.2. Types

Variable of Variable

Learning Outline
 I: Introduction of Random Variables

At the end of the chapter the students are expected:

Learning Outcomes
Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
Probabilist: Presumably each face of the dice is
equally likely to land face up. Now assuming
that each face comes up with probability of 1/6,
I can figure out what my chances of crapping
out are.

Statistician: Those dice may look OK, but how

do I know that they are not loaded? I'll watch
a while, and keep track of how often each
number comes up. Then I can decide if my
observations are consistent with the
assumption of equal-probability faces.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
 Statistics is primarily an applied branch of
mathematics, which tries to make sense of
observations in the real world.

 Probability deals with predicting the

likelihood of future events,
while statistics involves the analysis of the
frequency of past events.

 We can use probability theory to build

models of uncertainty and we can use
statistics to ground these models in
empirical data.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables

It is the measure of likelihood that an event will occur

in a random phenomenon.

 Random Phenomenon - is a situation in which we know

what outcomes can occur, but we do not know which
outcome will occur.

 Event - any set of outcomes of interest.

 Sample Space - the set of all possible outcomes of a

random phenomenon.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables

Statistics is concerned with the collection, organization,

creative presentation, analysis and interpretation of
data.

People use statistics as tools to understand information

and make decisions.

Statistics is used in the fields of business, math,

economics, accounting, banking, government,
astronomy, and the natural and social sciences.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables

Random Variable
A variable whose function of value at a random experiment determined by the outcome
of a probable occurrence is called a random variable.

Similarly, it is inferred that a random variable is an operation in mathematics defined over

the sample space of a statistical experiment and generally assumes diverse values with a
definite probability linked with a piece value.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables

Random Variable
1.Discrete Random Variable
It refers to random variable which takes only a
limited or a countable number of values.

For instance, when 3 coins are tossed, the number

of heads taken is the random variable X assumes
the values 0,1,2,3 and create a countable set. Such
variable is a discrete random variable.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables

Random Variable
2.Continuous Random Variable
It deals with random variable X which take any value
between certain intervals.

Notice that the probability of any single value at x, value of X

is zero. i.e P(X = x) = 0. Thus continuous random variable
takes value only between two given limits.

For example, the temperature of the patients in a particular

clinic lies between  37ᵒC to 40ᵒC.
We write this as X = {x|37 ≤ x ≤ 40}
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
Let us presume that two coins are tossed, and the sample space is:
S= {HH, HT, TH, TT}
Suppose that X represent the number of heads and with each sample point we can associate a number for X as
shown in the table below:
Possible X Probability
Outcomes (no. of P(X) The Probability Distribution or
tails) the Probability Mass Function of
HH 0 ¼ Discrete Random Variable X
No. of Tails (X) 0 1 2
HT 1 ¼
Probability P(X) 1/4 2/4 1/4
TH 1 ¼
Hence; random variable X takes the values 0, 1,2 for this
TT 2 1/4 random experiment.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
In tossing a fair coin tree times, what are the possible outcomes that
two heads will fall?

Possible X
Outcomes (no. of heads) The Probability Distribution or the Probability
HHH 3 Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable X
HHT 2 No. of heads (X) 0 1 2 3
HTH 2 Probability P(X) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8
HTT 1
THH 2
Hence; random variable X takes the values 0, 1, 2, 3 for this
THT 1 random experiment.
TTH 1
TTT 0
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from box
containing 5 red balls and 6 blue balls.

Let A be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values of the random variable A representing
the number of blue balls
The Probability Distribution or the Probability
Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable A
No. of blue ball (A) 0 1 2
Probability P(A) 1/4 2/4 1/4

Hence; random variable A takes the values 0, 1, 2 for this

random experiment.
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from box
containing 5 red balls and 6 blue balls.

Let A be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values of the random variable A representing
the number of blue balls
The Probability Distribution or the Probability
Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable A
No. of blue ball (A) 0 1 2
Probability P(A) 1/4 2/4 1/4

Hence; random variable A takes the values 0, 1, 2 for this

random experiment.
Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
To make you understand better the previous activities, another illustration is
shown below.

QUESTION: How many outcomes are there in tossing 2 coins? 3 coins? 4

coins?
EVENT SAMPLE SPACE EVENT SAMPLE SPACE
2 coins are tossed HH, HT, TH, TT

3 coins are tossed HHH, HHT, THH, THT HTH, HTT, TTH, TTT

4 coins are tossed HHHH, HHTH, HHTT, HHHT, HTHH, HTHT, THTT, TTHH, HTTH, HTTT, THHH,
THHT, TTTT, THTH, TTHT, TTTH
Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
To make you understand better the previous activities, another illustration is
shown below.

QUESTION: How many outcomes are there in rolling a die? pair of dice?

EVENT SAMPLE SPACE EVENT SAMPLE SPACE

A die rolled 1,2,3,4,5,6

A pair of dice rolled 1&1,1&2,1&3,1&4,1&5,1&6, 2&1,2&2,2&3,2&4,2&5,2&6,

3&1,3&2,3&3,3&4,3&5,3&6, 4&1,4&2,4&3,4&4,4&5,4&6,
5&1,5&2,5&3,5&4,5&5,5&6, 6&1,6&2,6&3,6&4,6&5,6&6
 Introduction of Random Variables
and Types of Variables
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. Use B for black balls and G for green balls.
Possible Value of Random Variable G
Outcomes (Number of Green Balls )
The Probability Distribution or
BBB 0
the Probability Mass Function of
BBG 1
Discrete Random Variable G
BGG 2
GGB 2 No. of Green Balls (G) 0 1 2
GBB 1 Probability P(G) 1/7 3/7 3/7
BGB 1
GBG 2 Thus, the possible values of the random variable G representing
number of GREEN BALLS are 0,1, and 2.
GO FLEX!