Random Variable

November 19, 2019

 A random variable is a special
kind of variable that takes on
values according to specific rules
of probability.
Assuming that we have a box containing
3 black marbles (B) and 3 white marbles
(W) of the same size. If 3 marbles are
drawn at random, one by one and with
replacement, from the box, the result is
one of the possible outcomes in the
sample space: S = { (B,B,B),(B,B,W),
(W,B,B), (B,W,W), (W,B,W), (W,W,B),
(W,W,W) }
When we assign a unique number x to
every element of a sample space, we call
the set of these numbers the random
variable X. The specific numbers assigned
are known as values of the random
variables. Names of random variables will
be designated by capital letters such as X,
Y, Z, etc.; their values will be denoted by
small letters such as x, y, z, etc.
Now going back to S X
our example, if we BBB 0
assume the random BBW 1
variable X as the BWB 1
number of white
WBB 1
marbles selected at
BWW 2
random, then we
have the following WBW 2
correspondence: WWB 2
WWW 3
So,the values of the
random variable X are
{0,1,2,3}.
Consider the following problems
Problem 1:
 Three coins are tossed simultaneously.
Find the values of the random variable
for the number of tails (X) obtained.
 Solution:
The outcome of a tossing of a coin is head (H) or
tail (T).
The sample space of the random experiment will
be {HHH, HHT, HTH, THH, TTH, THT, HTT, TTT}
It can be shown as,
S X
HHH 0
HHT 1
HTH 1
THH 1
TTH 2
THT 2
HTT 2
TTT 3
The number of tails
obtained, X can be {0, 1, 2, 3}
Problem 2:
There are two students who can
get A, B, or C grade. Find the
sample space, and the values for
random variable of number of
students getting A grade.
Solution:
The sample space will
be, S = {AA, AB, BA, BB, AC,CA,
BC, CB, CC}
Let the random variable showing
number of students
getting A grade be X.
S X
BB 0 The values
AB 1 of X can
AA 2 be {0, 1, 2} or
BA 1 x= {0, 1, 2}
CA 1
AC 1
BC 0
CB 0
CC 0
Problem 3:
Let there be five boxes
having 10 pens each. A box will
be rejected by retailer if it has
more than 3 pens as defective.
Find the random variables, and
the values they can attain.
Solution:
There can be two random
variables with discrete values.
Let X = Number of defective
pens in a box; and
Y = Number of defective
boxes
The values of X that can attain
are {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10} or
x= {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}

Values Y can attain are {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

or y= {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

Exercise: