Chapter 1
Random
Variables and
Probability
Distributions
Recall:
What is the conc
ept of probability
?
Probability of an event
Is a numerical value that describes the likeli
hood that an event will happen or not
In symbols,
P(E) = n(E)
n(S)
Event(E) - Refers to a subset of a
sample space
Sample Space(S) - outcome space
Probability of an event
E⊆S, then by definition of a subset n(E)
≤n(S)
1. The probability of an event is always a
value between and including 0 and 1.
2. The Complement Rule of Probability
P(E) + P(E’) = 1
Therefore P(E’) =1 - P(E)
Recall:
How do we use this in ma
king decisions concerning
a population using a samp
le?
Lesson One
Exploring Rando
m Variables
Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson
, you are expected to:
illustrate a random vari
able
Starting point:
Experiment - is any activity, wh
ich can be done repeatedly unde
r similar conditions
Sample space - the set of all po
ssible outcomes of an experime
nt
Entry Card
List the sample space of the following
experiments
Experiment Sample
Space
1. Tossing three coins
2. Rolling a die and tossing a coin
simultaneously
3. Getting a deffective item when
two items are randomly selected
from a box of two defective and
three non defective items
Ifthree coins are tossed,
what numbers can be assi
gned for the frequency of
heads that will occur?
If three cards are drawn fr
om a deck, what number c
an be assigned for the freq
uency of the face cards th
at will occur?
Variable
isa characteristic or attribute
that can assume different val
ues
capital letters are used to den
ote or represent a variable
Random Variables
variables that are assoc
iated with probabilities
Example 1
Suppose three cell phones are
tested at random. find out the
number of defective cell pho
nes that occur.
Illustration.
Let D - defective cell phone
N - non-defective cell phone
Possible Outcomes Value of the random variable
X(# of defective cell phone)
Possible Outcomes Value of the random
variable X
(# of defective cell phone)
NNN 0
DNN 1
NDN 1
NND 1
DDN 2
DND 2
NDD 2
DDD 3
Possible values of the random variable X
are 0, 1, 2,and 3
Whatis a rando
m variable?
Random Variable
is a function that associates a
real number to each element i
n the sample space.
is a variable whose values ar
e determined by chance
Example 2
Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the
random variable representing the number of
tails that occur. Find the values of the rando
m variable Y. Complete the table below.
Illustration.
Possible Outcomes Value of the random
variable Y
(number of tails)
Seatwork # 1:
Two balls are drawn in succession
without replacement from an urn c
ontaining 5 red balls and 6 blue bal
ls. Let Z be the random variable re
presenting the number of blue balls
. Find the values of the random vari
able Z.
How do you find
a random variabl
e?
Thank you!