Chapter 4

• Chapter : 4.0 DISTRIBUTION OF RANDOM VARIABLES

4.1. Random variables as a function, or mapping, from sample

space to real line; discrete and continuous variable. Symbol and
values of random variables.
4.2. Probability of event “not more than x”; distribution function
F(x); density function f(x).
4.3. F(x2)-F(x1) as the probability of x1 to x2, for discrete and
continuous; as an area below the continuous f(x) curve; an
implication to the statistical tables.
4.4. Mathematical expectation, mean for the discrete random
variables, E(X); E(X2) and variance.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 1

 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson you should be able to
• Differentiate between a discrete and a continuous
random variable.
• Construct a discrete probability distribution based on an
experiment or given function.
• Determine the similarities and differences between
frequency distributions and probability distribution.
• Compute, describe and interpret the mean and standard
deviation of a probability distribution

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 2

 Random Variable
• A random variable is a variable whose value is determined by the outcome of
a random experiment

X f Probability, P(X)

• The process of random selection is called a random or chance experiment.

• Let X be the number of vehicles owned by the selected family (0, 1, 2, …, n).
• In general, a random variable is denoted by X or Y.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 3

 Discrete Random Variable
• A random variable with values that can be counted.

• Examples of discrete random variables:

• Number of houses sold by a developer in a given month.
• Number of cars rented at a rental shop during a given month.
• Number of reports received at the police station on a given day.
• Number of fish caught on a fishing trip.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 4

 Probability Distribution
• The probability distribution of a discrete random variable
lists
– all the possible values that the random variable can assume and
– their corresponding probabilities.
• It represents the population in the form of
– mathematical formula or
– table or
– graph

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 5

 Example 1
• Let X be the number of vehicles owned by a randomly selected family. Write
the probability distribution of X and graph for the data.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 6

 Example 1
P(X)

P(X)
SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 7
 Example 2
• During the summer months, a rental agency keeps track of the number of
chain saws it rents each day during a period of 90 days and X denotes the
number of saws rented per day. Construct a probability distribution and
graph for the data.

P(X)

P(X)

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 8

 Example 3
• A small farm has 10 cows of which 6 of them are males. A veterinary in
country XY wants to study about the foot and mouth disease which attacks
the cows. Therefore, she randomly selects, without replacement, two cows
from the farm. Based on the study, construct a probability distribution where
X is the random sample representing the number of male cows being
selected. (Use a tree diagram to illustrate the above event).

P(X)

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 9

 Characteristics
Characteristics of probabilities for a discrete random
variable.

1. The probability assigned to each value of a random

variable X must be from 0 to 1.
• 0 ≤P(X)≤ 1, for each value x

2. The sum of the probabilities assigned to all possible

values of x is equal to 1.
• ∑P(X) = 1

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 10

 Example 4
• The following table lists the probability distribution of car
sales per day in a used car shop based on past data.

P(X)
• Find the probability that the number of car sales per day
is,
• a) none c) 1 to 3
P(X=0) = 0.10 P (1  X  3)
• b) exactly 1  P ( X  1)  P ( X  2)  P ( X  3)
P(X=1) = 0.25  0.25  0.30  0.35
 0.90

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 11

 Example 4

P(X)
• Find the probability that the number of car sales per day
is,
d) more than 1 e) at most 2

P( X  1) P ( X  2)
 P ( X  2)  P ( X  0)  P ( X  1)  P ( X  2)
 P( X  2)  P( X  3)  0.10  0.25  0.30
 0.30  0.35  0.65
 0.65

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 12

 Mean of a Discrete r.v.
• The mean of a discrete random variable X is the value
that is expected to repeat, on average, if an experiment
is repeated a large number of times.
• It is denoted by µ and calculated as:

   X .P( X )

• The mean of a discrete random variable X is also called

its expected value and is denoted by E(X),

 X .P( X )
SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 13
 Standard Deviation of
a Discrete r.v.
• The standard deviation of a discrete random variable X
measures the spread of its probability distribution, and is
calculated as:
 [ X2
P (X )]  
2

• A higher value for the standard deviation of a discrete

random variable indicates that, X can assume values
over a large range about the mean.
• In contrast, a smaller value for the standard deviation
indicates that, most of the values that X can assume are
clustered closely about the mean.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 14

 Example 5
• The following table lists the probability distribution of car
sales per day in a used car dealer based on past data.
P(X) is the probability of the corresponding value of X =
x. Calculate the expected number of sales per day and
followed by standard deviation.
P(X) E( X )
  X .P. P(X)
( x)
 (0  0.1)  (1  0.25)  (2  0.3)  (3  0.35)
 0  0.25  0.6  1.05
 1 .9
2

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 15

 Example 5
P(X) 2
  X 2 .P ( x )   2
 (0  0.1)  (1  0.25)  (4  0.30)  (9  0.35)  1.9 2
 (0  0.25  1.2  3.15)  3.61
 0.99
so,   0.99  0.995
Use the
actual
value.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 16

 Table Tips
• Construct a table for a better display.

X P(X) XP(X) X² X²P(X)

0 0.10 0.00 0 0
1 0.25 0.25 1 0.25
2 0.30 0.60 4 1.20
3 0.35 1.05 9 3.15
∑P(X) = 1.0 ∑XP(X) = 1.9 ∑X²P(X) = 4.60

• Mean, µ = ∑XP(X) = 1.9

• σ = √ ∑[X²P(X)] - µ² = √4.60 – 1.9² = √0.99 = 0.995

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 17

 Example 6
• During the summer months, a rental agency keeps track
of the number of chain saws it rents each day during a
period of 90 days and X denotes the number of saws
rented per day. What is the expected number of saws
rented per day? Then, find the standard deviation.
P(X)
E( X ) 2
  X .PP((X)
x)   X 2 .PP(X)
( x)   2
 (0  0.5)  (1  0.33)  (2  0.17)  (0  0.5)  (1 0.33)  (4  0.17)  0.67 2
 0  0.33  0.34  (0  0.33  0.68)  0.4489
 0.67  0.5611
1
so,   0.5611  0.7491
SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 18
 Example 6 (Table)
• During the summer months, a rental agency keeps track of the number of
chain saws it rents each day during a period of 90 days and X denotes the
number of saws rented per day. What is the expected number of saws
rented per day? Then, find the standard deviation.

P(X)

X P(X) XP(X) X² X²P(X)

0 0.50 0.00 0 0
1 0.33 0.33 1 0.33
2 0.17 0.34 4 0.68
∑P(X) = 1.0 ∑XP(X) = 0.67 ∑X²P(X) = 1.01

• Mean, µ = ∑XP(X) = 0.67

• σ = √ ∑[X²P(X)] - µ² = √1.01 – 0.67² = √0.5611 = 0.7491

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 19

Cumulative Distribution Function
• All random variables (discrete and continuous) have a
cumulative distribution function (CDF) .
• It is a function giving the probability that the random
variable X is less than or equal to x, for every value x.
• For a discrete random variable, the cumulative
distribution function is found by summing up the
probabilities. t
• F ( x)  P( X  x)   P( X  x)
x  x0

• and P(X = x) is the probability distribution function for X

where x  x0 , x1 , x2 ..., xt .
SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 20
 Example 7
• A discrete random variable X has the following
probability distribution. Construct the cumulative
distribution of X.

P(X)

F(1) = P(X=0) + P(X=1)

= 1/30 + 3/10
= 1/30 + 9/30
=10/30
SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 21
 Example 8
• A discrete random variable X has the following
cumulative distribution.
1
 21 , for 0  x  1

 3 , for 1  x  2
 21
6
 , for 2  x  3 a) Construct the probability distribution of X.
F ( x)   21
10
 , for 3  x  4
 21
15 P(X)
 21 , for 4  x  5

1 , for x  5

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 22

 Example 8
P(x)
P(X)

22/21
20/21
18/21
F(x)

23

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics

 Example 9
• During school holidays, the manager of Victory Hotel
records the number of room bookings being cancelled
each day during a period of 50 days, the results are
shown below and X denotes the number of room
bookings being cancelled per day.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 24

 Example 9
• a) Construct the probability distribution of X.

P(X)

P(X)

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 25

 Example 9
• b) The manager expects that five room bookings were
cancelled for a day. Is the manager expectation true?
Explain. E( X )
  X .PP(X)
( x)
 (0  0.04)  (1  0.08)  ( 2  0.14)  (3  0.16) 
(4  0.26)  (5  0.20)  (6  0.06)  (7  0.06)
 0  0.08  0.28  0.48  1.04  1.00  0.36  0.42
 3.66
4

The manager expectation is not true since only four room bookings are
expected to be cancelled for a day.

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 26

 Example 9
c) Find the probability that at most three room bookings were
cancelled. P( X  3)
 P( X  0)  P( X  1)  P( X  2)  P( X  3)
 0.04  0.08  0.14  0.16
 0.42

d) Find the standard deviation for the number of room bookings being
cancelled. P(X)
P(X)
2
  X 2 .P ( x)   2
P(X)

 (0  0.08  0.56  1.44  4.16  5  2.16  2.94)  3.66 2

 16.34  13.3956
 2.9444
so,   2.9444  1.716 SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 27
Continuous Random Variable
• A random variable that can assume any value contained
in one or more intervals is called a continuous random
variable.
• Examples of continuous random variables,
• The weight of a person.
• The time taken to complete a 100 meter dash.
• The duration of a battery.
• The height of a building.

Learn more in Chapter 5

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 28

 Summary
You should now be able to:
• Complete the exercise of Chapter 4.
• Answer questions relating to Chapters 1-4
• Try past years papers

SQQS1013 Elementary Statistics 29