RANDOM VARIABLES

What is Random Variable?

• Random Variable is a set of possible values from a random
experiment
• E.g: Tossing a coin,  could get heads or tails. Suppose
Heads = 0 and Tails = 1, so we have random variables X =
{0,1}.
• Random variables are usually denoted by capital letters,
such as X, Y, Z
Types of Random Variable
• 2 types of random variables, i.e. Discrete and continuous
• A random variable is called discrete if it has either a finite
or a countable number of possible values, e.g. The number
of applicants for a job.
• A random variable is called continuous if its possible
values contain a whole interval of numbers, e.g. The
temperature of a cup of coffee served at a restaurant.
 Probability Distributions for
Discrete Random Variable

• The probability distribution of a discrete random

variable X is a list of each possible value of X together
with the probability that X takes that value in one trial
of the experiment. Two conditions should be satisfied:
 Probability Distributions for
Discrete Random Variable (cont.)
Example 1:
A coin is tossed twice. Let X be the number of heads that
are observed.
• Construct the probability distribution of X.
• Find the probability that at least one head is observed.
Solution
• The possible values that X can take are 0, 1, and 2.
• Each of these numbers corresponds to an event in the
sample space S={hh,ht,th,tt}
• X = 0 to {tt}, X = 1 to {ht,th}, and X = 2 to {hh}
 Probability Distributions for
Discrete Random Variable (cont.)
The probability distribution of X is:

“At least one head” means that event X ≥ 1, which is the

union of the mutually exclusive events X = 1 and X = 2.
So:
Mean of a Discrete Random
Variable

• The mean (or expected value) of a discrete

random variable X is the number
μ = E(X) = Σx P(x)
• The mean of a random variable may be
interpreted as the average of the values assumed
by the random variable (X) in repeated trials of the
experiment.
Example 3
• Find the mean of the discrete random variable X whose
probability distribution is

• Solution:
Variance and Standard deviation of a
Discrete Random Variable
• The variance (σ2) and standard deviation (σ) of a
discrete random variable X may be interpreted as
measures of the variability of the values assumed
by the random variable in repeated trials of the
experiment.

 Example 5
A discrete random variable X has the following probability
distribution:

Compute
• a.
• P(0).
• P(X > 0).
• P(X ≥ 0).
• P(X≤−2).
• The mean μ of X.
• The variance σ2 of X.
• The standard deviation σ of X.
Example 5 (solution)
• Since all probabilities must add up to 1, a = 1−(0.2+0.5+0.1)=
0.2.
• Directly from the table, P(0)=0.5.
• From the table, P(X>0) = P(1)+P(4)= 0.2+0.1= 0.3.
• From the table, P(X≥0) = P(0)+P(1)+P(4) = 0.5+ 0.2 + 0.1 = 0.8.
• P(X ≤ −2) = 0. (none of the numbers listed as possible values
of X is less than or equal to −2)
Example 7
• A discrete random variable X has the following probability
distribution:

Find
a. P(80)
b. P(X > 80).
c. P(X ≤ 80).
d. The mean μ of X.
e. The variance σ2 of X.
f. The standard deviation σ of X.
 Binomial Distribution
• Suppose a random experiment has the following characteristics :
• The experiment was carried out n times.
• Each experiment has two possible outcomes.
• The possible outcomes (p) of each trial are the same.
• The results obtained in the first experiment will not affect the results
obtained in the other experiments (mutually independent).

we can calculate the probability by using the Binomial distribution

equation.
Let X be a discrete random variable. Then the
probability of X is

Probability of random variable Number of

experiments
p = probability of “success”
q = probability of “failure”

https://stats.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Statistics/Book
%3A_Introductory_Statistics_(Shafer_and_Zhang)/04%3A_Discrete_Random_Variables/
4.03%3A_The_Binomial_Distribution#:~:text=There%20are%20n%20identical%20and,is%20the
%20same%20number%20p.
Binomial Distribution Example
• Suppose we have a coin consisting of two sides, front and
back. Suppose we draw 10 times. In the first draw, the
possible outcome is only the front side or the back side. In
the second draw, the possible results are only the front side
or the back side. And so on. Every time you draw, the
possible results are the same, only two, namely the front
side or the back side. Out of ten attempts, what is the
probability that the front side appears twice?
Number of experiments = n = 10
Probability of success (front-side show up) = p = 0.5
Probability of “failure” (front-side not show up) = q= (1- 0.5)
Random variable : front side appears twice = x = 2
 Example 8
• The probability that a patient recovers from Covid-19 is 0.4. If 15 people
are known to have contracted this disease, what is the probability that
• (a) at least 10 survive
• (b) exactly 5 survive?

Solutions :

(a). At least 10 successes includes X-value of X= 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

To solve this problem, find the sum of the binomial probabilities for each of the
values of P( X >= 10) = P(10)+P(11)+P(12)+P(13)+P(14)+P(15)

P(10)=0.024485642108928
Example 8 (2)

P( X >= 10)

(b). Try your self

Next :
• Random variable part 2 : Poisson Distribution &
Poisson Process