MODULE in MATH 9B (ADVANCED STAT.

)
QUARTER 1, WEEK 4

RANDOM VARIABLES

Lesson Objectives:
 illustrate a random variable
 classify random variables as discrete or continuous
 find the possible values of a random variable

Part I: Introduction
You have learned in your past lessons in Mathematics that an experiment is any activity, which
can be done repeatedly under similar conditions. The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment is
called sample space. You have also learned how to systematically list the possible outcomes of a given
experiment.
To find out if you are ready to learn this new lesson, do the following activity.

Part II: Activities

Getting Ready: List the sample space of the following experiments.

Experiment Sample Space

1. tossing a coin

2. tossing two coins

3. tossing three coins

4. rolling a die and tossing a coin

simultaneously

Recall that a variable is a characteristic or attribute that can assume different values. We
use capital letters to denote or represent a variable. In this lesson, we shall discuss variables that
are associated with probabilities, called random variables.

Activity 1: Defective Cellphones

Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. We want to find out the number of defective cell
phones that occur. Thus, to each outcome in the sample space we shall assign a value. These are
0, 1, 2, or 3. If there is no defective cellphone, we assign the number 0; if there is 1 defective
cellphone, we assign the number 1; if there are 2 defective cellphones, we assign the number 2;
and 3, if there are three defective cellphones. The number of defective cellphones is a random
variable. The possible values of this random variable are 0, 1, 2, and 3.

Illustration:
 Let D represent the defective cellphone and N represent the non-defective cellphone. If we let X
be the random variable representing the number of defective cellphones, can you show the values of the
random variable X? Complete the table below to show the values of the random variable.

Possible outcomes Value of the Random Variable X

(number of defective cellphones)

The completed table should look like this:

Possible outcomes Value of the Random Variable X

(number of defective cellphones)
NNN 0
NND 1
NDN 1
DNN 1
NDD 2
DND 2
DDN 2
DDD 3

A random variable is a function that associates a real number to each element

in the sample space. It is a variable whose values are determined by chance.
Activity 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.

Possible outcomes Value of the Random Variable Y

(number of tails)

Solution:

Steps Solution
1. Determine the sample space. Let H The sample space for this experiment is:
represent head and T represent tail. S ={TTT,TTH, THT, HTT, HHT, HTH,
THH,HHH}
 2. Count the number of tails in each
outcome in the sample space and, Possible outcomes Value of the
assign this number to this outcome. Random Variable Y
(number of tails)
TTT 3
TTH 2
THT 2
HTT 2
HHT 1
HTH 1
THH 1
HHH 0

So, the possible values of the random variable Y are 0, 1, 2, and 3.

Activity 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.

Possible outcomes Value of the Random Variable Z

(number of blue balls)

Solution:
Steps Solution
1. Determine the sample space. Let B The sample space for this experiment is:
represent the blue ball and R represent S ={RR, RB, BR, BB}
the red ball.
2. Count the number of blue balls in each
outcome in the sample space and Possible outcomes Value of the
assign this number to this outcome. Random Variable Z
(number of blue
balls)
RR 0
RB 1
BR 1
BB 2

So, the possible values of the random variable Z are 0, 1, and 2.

The random variables in the preceding activities are called discrete random variables because
the set of possible outcomes is countable.
 For Activity 1, the possible values of random variable X are 0, 1, 2, and 3. The possible values
for random variable Y in activity 2 are 0, 1, 2, and 3; and in activity 3, the possible values of random
variable Z are 0, 1, and 2. Random variables X, Y, and Z are discrete random variables.
Suppose an experiment is conducted to determine the distance that a certain type of car will
travel using 10 liters of gasoline over a prescribed test course. If distance is a random variable, then we
have an infinite number of distances that cannot be equated to the number of whole numbers. This is an
example of a continuous random variable.

A random variable is a discrete random variable if its set of possible outcomes is

countable. Mostly, discrete random variables represent count data, such as the number of
defective chairs produced in a factory.
A random variable is a continuous random variable if it takes on values on a
continuous scale. Often, continuous random variables represent measured data, such as
heights, weights, and temperatures.

Part III: Summative Evaluation

A. Determine the possible values of random variables and identify if it is a discrete or continuous.
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. Let M be a random variable representing the number of defective cars. Let D be defective cars
and N be the non-defective ones.
3. Three strips of colored paper without replacement from a box containing 4 red and 5 yellow
strips. Let Q be a random variable representing the number of red strips.

B. Classify the following as discrete or continuous random variable.

1. The number of heads in tossing 5 coins

2. The height of mango seedlings
3. The weight of Grade 9 students in a certain year
4. The number of teachers in the division in a year
5. The number of male singers
6. The speed of cars
7. The amount of gasoline consumed in one-hour travel
8. The number of likes of a Facebook post in a certain time of day
9. The distance traveled by moving trains in one hour
10. The number of ripe bananas in a basket
11. The weight of newborns each year in a hospital
12. the speed of a car
13. The number of accidents per year at an intersection
14. The number of female athletes
15. The number of siblings in a family of a region

Prepared by:

GRECIA C. ABRAZALDO
Teacher III