Quarter 3, Week 2

Learning Activity Sheets (LAS) No. 6

Name of Learner: ___________________ Grade and Section: _______________

Date: _____________________________

STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY ACTIVITY SHEET

Illustrating the Mean and Variance of a Discrete Random Variable

I. Learning Competency with Code

Illustrates the mean and variance of a discrete random variable. (M11/12SP-
IIIb-1)

II. Background Information for Learners

We use the term ‘average’ frequently in all sorts of everyday contexts.

Let us take for example, we might say ‘I’m having an average income today’,
meaning our income is neither particularly good nor bad, it is about normal.
Average may also refer to people, objects and other things.
The term 'average' refers to the ‘middle’ or ‘central’ point. When used in
mathematics, the term refers to a number that is a typical representation of a
group of numbers (or data set). The most widely used method of calculating
an average is the ‘mean’. When the term ‘average’ is used in a mathematical
sense, it usually refers to the mean, especially when no other information is
given.

Example 1: Number of Spots in a Die

Consider rolling a die. What would be the average value of the
outcomes obtained?
Solution:
If you roll a fair die six times, you would expect to roll a 1, a 2, a 3, a 4,
1+2+3+4+5+6
a 5 and a 6. The average value of the outcomes obtained will be =
6
21
or 3.5. Remember that 3.5 is not a value that we can observe if we will do
6
the experiment. 3.5 is what we call the mean of the random variable or the mean
of the probability distribution if we do it in a tabular form. The mean tells us the
average number of spots that would appear in rolling a die. Although, the die
will not show that number, it implies that in rolling the die many times, the
theoretical mean would be 3.5.
Example 2. Your friend has 5 different breeds of dog. He measured the
heights of the dogs in millimeters. The heights are measured at the shoulders
of each dog. Illustrate the mean and variance of the heights.

600 460
420
300

170
Solution:
600+460+170+420+300
The mean = = 390 mm.
5

To get the variance, we will calculate each dog's height difference from
the mean:

600 460
420
300

mean

170

Dog’s Height Mean Difference from Mean

600 390 210
460 390 70
170 390 -220
420 390 30
300 390 -90

To calculate the variance, we take the difference from the mean,

square it, and then average the result: (This is the formula from lesson in
Statistics in the Junior High School)

Difference from Square of the

Dog’s Height Mean
Mean Difference
600 390 210 44100
460 390 70 4900
170 390 -220 48400
420 390 30 900
300 390 -90 8100
 44100+4900+48400+900+8100
Variance = = 21280
5

Standard Deviation = 145.87 ≅ 146

The standard deviation is just the square root of variance. The

standard deviation is useful for us to understand how the heights differ from
the mean. Now, we can show which heights are within one standard deviation
(146 mm) from the mean.

So, using the standard deviation we have a "standard" way of knowing

what is normal, and what is large or small.
These concepts lead the way to the most important measure of spread,
the variance, and a closely related measure of variability, the standard
deviation.

The concepts of variance and standard deviation when summarizing

data was discussed in the Junior High School Mathematics. These were the
sample variance and the sample standard deviation. The difference here is
that we are referring to properties of the distribution of a discrete random
variable.
The variance of a random variable displays the variability or the
dispersions of the random variables. It shows the distance of a random
variable from its mean.

Example 3. Illustrate the mean and variance of the given histogram.

Solution:

The mean of the given histogram is 3.5 since they have the
same probabilities. We can solve for the mean by adding all the values
from 1 to 6. We will to be able to determine the spread of the elements
away from the mean by adding this procedure in the illustration given.
 Since we are comparing two elements this time (1 and 3 on the
left side of the mean and 4 and 6 in the right, the mean that is 3.5 will
be doubled which became 7. Adding 1 and 3 elements gives us 4,
similarly on the right side adding 4 and 6 gives us 10. Get the average
value of 4 and 10 which resulted in 7 which is our new mean. Subtract
7 by 4 which result to 3, likewise subtract 10 by 7 which result to 3.
This implies that the distance of the element from the mean in either
direction is 3 which describes the spread of the elements in the
observation. This is the idea of variance and standard deviation.

III. Accompanying DepEd Textbook and Education Sites

Alferez, M.S. & Duro, M.A. (2006). MSA Statistics and Probability. MSA
Publishing House. Reprinted 2016.

Belecina, R. R.et.al. (2016). Statistics and Probability. First Edition. Rex Book
Store, Inc.

CHED. Statistics and Probability. Pasig City: Department of Education -

Bureau of Learning Resources, 2016, pp 108-1116

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/num/averages.html

https://www.mathsisfun.com/data/standard-deviation.html

IV. Activity Proper

General Directions: In answering the exercises in the Learning Activity

Sheet (LAS), please be reminded not to write anything here. All answers
must be written in a separate sheet of paper. Read each problem carefully
and answer it systematically. If a solution is required, encircle your final
answer.

Exercise 1. The following are the number of computers sold in four

consecutive days. Illustrate the mean and variance.

Guide Questions:
1. How do you find the mean? The variance?
2. Show the process where you illustrate the variance and the
standard deviation.
Exercise 2. Compare the variance and standard deviation of the two figures
provided.

Figure 1

Figure 2
Exercise 1
12 + 36 + 60 + 72
Mean = = 45
4
Variance
Difference from Square of the
Dog’s Height Mean
Mean Difference
12 45 -33 1089
36 45 -9 81
60 45 15 225
72 45 27 729
1089+81+225+729
Variance = 4
= 531
Exercise 2. Same Variance and Standard Deviation
Mean = 9
Key to Solution