Micaela Lauren R.

Fajardo
Grade 11 St. Ignatius

RANDOM VARIABLES
I learned about random variables. It is a random process of mapping outcomes. The set of
possible outcomes should be quantifiable. A random variable can be presented in any
capital English alphabet letters.
There are two kinds of random variables and these are:

Discrete random variables

Continuous random variables

If its set of possible outcomes is countable, it is discrete random variables.

Examples:
1. Number of students present in class every day.

2. Number of Grade 11 students studying in St. Paul University Manila

If its set of possible outcomes is cannot be counted, it is continuous random variables.
Examples:
1. The time it takes to arrive at school.

2. Interest rate added to a debt

 PROB
ABILI
TY
DISTR
Probability distribution can also be called mass probability function, density probability
function and discrete probability distribution. It is consists of the values a random
variable can assume and the corresponding probabilities of the values.

IBUTI
There are two characteristics of probability distribution:

ON

The corresponding probability of the value of random variable is greater than zero
but not less than one.
When you add all of probabilities of the value of random variables, it should
always be equal to 1. If it is not equal to one, then it is not a probability
distribution.

Example:
There are three marbles with color red (R), violet (V) and blue (B) inside a jar.
Let Z be the no. of color violet in picking up a marble inside a jar. Find all the
possible outcomes of a random variable Z.
Step 1: List all the possible outcomes. It can be listed by table or listing method

Possible outcomes Values of Random Variable

RRR
RRV
RVV
VRV
VVR
RVR
VRR
VVV
BBB
RBB
RRB
RBR
BRB
BBR
BRR
BVV
VVB
VBV
 BVB
VBB
BBV
BRV
VRB
BVR
VBR
RBV
RVB

Step 2: Write the values of random variable

Possible outcomes Values of Random Variable

RRR 0
RRV 1
RVV 2
VRV 2
VVR 2
RVR 1
VRR 1
VVV 3
BBB 0
RBB 0
RRB 0
RBR 0
BRB 0
BBR 0
BRR 0
BVV 2
VVB 2
VBV 2
BVB 1
VBB 1
BBV 1
BRV 1
VRB 1
BVR 1
VBR 1
RBV 1
RVB 1

Step 3: Find the probability by using this formula: P(x) = m/n

m- no. possible outcomes in an event
n- sample space (total possible outcomes)

Values of Random Variable (no. P(x)

of color violet)
0 8/27
1 12/27
2 6/27
3 1/27
27/27

MEAN
I also learned how to get the mean (expected value), variance and standard deviation.
Example for getting the mean:
Let Z be the no. of color violet in picking up a marble inside a jar.
Values of random variable (X) (no. of color violet)
STEP 1: Multiply the values of random variable (x) to P(x)

X P(x) XP(x)
0 8/27 0
1 12/27 12/27
2 6/27 12/27
3 1/27 3/27

Step 2: Add all the values you get in XP(x)

 X P(x) XP(x)
0 8/27 0
1 12/27 12/27
2 6/27 12/27
3 1/27 3/27
27/27 or 1

M= x P( x)=1

VARI
0
X
ANCE P(x)
8/27
X^2P(x)
0
1 12/27 12/27
2 6/27 24/27
3 1/27 9/27
45/27 or 1.67

Variance = x 2 P ( x )M 2
= 1.67 (1^2)
= 0.67