Topical Worksheet: Discrete Random Variable

DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE

N1977 P1 Q12

A test consists of five multiple choice questions to each of which three answers are given, only one of which is
correct. For each correct answer a candidate gets 2 marks, but loses 1 mark for each incorrect answer. A
particular candidate answers all question purely by guesswork. Draw up a table to show all the possible total marks
from −5 to 10 and the probability associated with each mark for this candidate. Use the table to show that the
expected mark is zero, and find the variance of this distribution.

Answer: 10

N1978 P2 Q12
A fair die is thrown once and random variable X denotes the score obtained. Write down E ( X ) and show that
35
Var ( X ) = . The die is thrown twice, and X 1 and X 2 obtained from each attempt.
12

Tabulate the probability distribution of Y = X1 − X 2 , and find E (Y ) .

The random variable Z is defined by Z = X 1 − X 2 . State with reasons whether or not

(i) E ( Z 2 ) = E (Y 2 ) .

(ii) Var ( Z ) = Var (Y ) .

35
Answers: E ( X ) = 3.5 , E (Y ) = (i) Yes (ii) No
18

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Topical Worksheet: Discrete Random Variable
2018 DHS P2 Q10
The discrete random variable X has probability mass function given by

 ax
 for x = 1, 2,..., n,
P( X = x) =  n(n + 1)
0
 otherwise,

where a is a constant.

(i) Show that a = 2 . [2]

n
n
(ii) Find E( X ) in terms of n . You may use the result that r
r =1
2
= (n + 1)(2n + 1) .
6
[3]

Two players P1 and P2 play a game with n + 1 tokens labelled 1 to n + 1 . Each player randomly picks one token
without replacement and the player who picks the token with the smaller number loses. The amount of money
lost by the losing player, in dollars, will be the number on the winning token. For example, if P1 and P2 pick the
tokens labelled 5 and 3 respectively, P2 loses $5 to P1 .

(iii) Explain why the probability of P2 losing a game is 0.5 . [1]

(iv) Given that P2 loses, find the probability P2 loses $ (m + 1) in terms of m and n , where m is such that
1 m  n . [3]

(v) Using the result in part (i), when P2 loses a game, find the amount that he is expected to lose in terms of
n. [3]

1 1
Answers: (i) a = 2 (ii) ( 2n + 1) (iii) Proportion of P2 taking the smaller number is because there are only
3 2
1
two outcomes, i.e. one of the token is larger, the other smaller. P (losing game) is . Therefore, game is fair.
2

2m n
 2m 2 2m 
(iv)
n(n + 1)
(v)   n(n + 1) + n(n + 1) 
m =1  

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Topical Worksheet: Discrete Random Variable
P ROBABILITY I NVOLVING P ROPORTIONALITY
Four rods of lengths 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 units are placed in a bag from which one rod is selected at random. The
probability of selecting a rod of length l is kl . Find the value of k .

Show that the expected value of X , the length of the selected rod, is 3 units and the variance of X .

After a rod has been selected it is not replaced. The probabilities of selection for each of the three rods remain
are in the same ratio as they were before the first selection. A second rod is now selected from the bag. Defining
Y to be the length of the rod and writing P1 = P (Y = 1| X = 2) , P2 = P (Y = 2 | X = 1) show that 16 P1 = 9 P2 .

17
Show also that P ( X + Y = 3) = .
360

Answers: k = 0.1 , variance = 1

2018 RI CT3 J2 Q13

A bag contains 20 blue balls and 15 red balls. In a game, Joe draws 12 balls one by one, at random and
without replacement. The number of blue balls Joe draws from the bag is denoted by X .

(i) Find E ( X ) and Var ( X ) . [4]

(ii) If P ( X = x )  P ( X = x + 1) , show that x satisfies the inequality

( x + a )( x + b)  ( c − x )( d − x )
where a , b , c and d are constants to be determined. Use this inequality to find the number of blue balls
that Joe is most likely to draw. [5]

Joe plays this game 30 times.

(iii) Find the probability that Joe draws at least 10 blue balls in more than 4 of his 30 games. [3]

Answers: (i) E ( X ) = 6.86 , Var ( X ) = 1.99 (ii) 7 (iii) 0.00106

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