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Chapter 1 - Lesson 6 - Variance and Standard Deviation of Discrete Probability Distribution
Chapter 1 - Lesson 6 - Variance and Standard Deviation of Discrete Probability Distribution
Standard Deviation of
Discrete Probability
Distribution
Chapter 1:
Lesson 6
Lesson Objective:
At the end of the
lesson, I CAN calculate
the variance (and
standard deviation) of a
discrete random variable.
The variance is a measure of
how spread out of data set is. It is
calculated as the average squared
deviation of each number from the
mean of a data set.
1 3ൗ 3ൗ 3 6 3
8 8 𝜇 =0+ + +
2 3ൗ 6ൗ 8 8 8
8 8
1ൗ 3ൗ
12 3
3 8 8 𝜇= 𝑜𝑟
8 2 6
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
Number of Heads (X) Probability P(X)
0 1ൗ STEP 2: Subtract
8 the mean from
1 3ൗ
8 each value of
2 3ൗ the random
8 variable X.
3 1ൗ
8 7
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
1 3ൗ 3ൗ − 4ൗ8
8 8
2 3ൗ 6ൗ 4ൗ
8 8 8
3 1ൗ 3ൗ 12ൗ
8 8 8 8
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
Number of Heads (X) Probability P(X)
0 1ൗ
8 STEP 3:
1 3ൗ Square the
8 results obtained
2 3ൗ
8 in STEP 2.
3 1ൗ
8 9
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
0 1ൗ STEP 4:
8 Multiply the
1 3ൗ results obtained
8
2 3ൗ in STEP 3 by the
8 corresponding
3 1ൗ probability.
8 11
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
2
24 3
0 1ൗ
8 0 − 3ൗ2 9ൗ
4
9ൗ
32 𝜎 = 𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑟 0.75
32 4
1 3ൗ 3ൗ − 1ൗ2 1ൗ 3ൗ
8 8 4 32
2 3ൗ 6ൗ 1ൗ 1ൗ 3ൗ
8 8 2 4 32
3 1ൗ 3ൗ 3ൗ 9ൗ 9ൗ
8 8 2 4 32 14
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
Number of Heads (X) Probability P(X)
2
24 3
0 1ൗ
8 0 − 3ൗ2 9ൗ
4
9ൗ
32 𝜎 = 𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑟 0.75
32 4
1 3ൗ 3ൗ − 1ൗ2 1ൗ 3ൗ
8 8 4 32 𝜎= 𝜎2 = (𝑿 − µ)𝟐 •P(X)
2 3ൗ 6ൗ 1ൗ 1ൗ 3ൗ
8 8 2 4 32
3 3
1ൗ 3ൗ 3ൗ 9ൗ 9ൗ 𝜎= = 𝑜𝑟 0.87
3 8 8 2 4 32 4 2 16
Formula for the Variance and Standard Deviation
of a Discrete Probability Distribution
The variance of a discrete probability distribution is given by the formula:
1 3ൗ 3ൗ 1 3ൗ
8 8 8
2 3ൗ 6ൗ 4 12ൗ
8 8 8
3 1ൗ 3ൗ 9 9ൗ
8 8 8
19
Alternative Way of Computing the Variance
and Standard Deviation
𝟐 𝟑
3 1ൗ
8
3ൗ
8 9 9ൗ
8 𝝈 = (same answer)
𝟒 21
Number of Heads in a Toss of Three Coins
When three coins are tossed, the probability distribution for the random
variable X representing the number of heads that occur is given below.
Compute the variance and standard deviation of the probability distribution.
(X) P(X) X•P(X) 𝑿𝟐 𝑿𝟐 •P(X)
𝟑
𝝈=
0 1ൗ 0 0 0 𝟒
8
3ൗ 3ൗ 3ൗ
𝟑
1 8 8 1 8 𝝈= 𝒐𝒓 𝟎. 𝟖𝟕 (𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓)
𝟐
2 3ൗ 6ൗ 4 12ൗ
8 8 8
3 1ൗ 3ൗ 9 9ൗ
8 8 8
22
Alternative Formula for the Variance and Standard
Deviation of a Discrete Probability Distribution
The variance of a discrete probability distribution is given by the formula:
𝝈𝟐 = 𝑿𝟐 ∙ 𝑷 𝑿 − 𝝁𝟐
The standard deviation of a discrete probability distribution is
given by the formula:
𝝈 = 𝑿𝟐 ∙ 𝑷 𝑿 − 𝝁𝟐
where:
X = value of the random variable
P(X) = probability of the random variable X
23
µ = mean of the probability distribution
Let’s try more!
Number of Items Sold
The number of items sold per day at a retail store, with its corresponding
probabilities, is shown in the table. Find the variance and standard deviation
of the probability distribution.