EXPLORING RANDOM VARIABLES

Objectives:

1. Illustrate a random variable.

2. Classify random variables as discrete or continuous; and

3. Find the possible values of a random variable.

EXPERIMENT

-Is any activity, which can be done repeatedly under similar conditions.

SAMPLE SPACE

-The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.

EXPERIMENT SAMPLE SPACE

1. TOSSING THREE COINS HHH,HHT, HTH, THH, TTT, THT, TTH, HTT

2. ROLLING A DIE AND TOSSING A COIN

SIMULTANEOUSLY.

3. Toss a pair of dice and record the two

numbers on the top.

4. GETTING A DEFECTIVE ITEM WHEN TWO

ITEMS ARE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM A
BOX OF TWO DEFECTIVE AND THREE NON-
DEFECTIVE ITEMS.
5. DRAWING A CARD GREATER THAN 7
FROM A DECK OF CARDS.

Random Variable- is a function that associates a real number to each element in the sample space. It is a
variable whose values are determined by chance.

Ex. Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. We want to find out the number of defective cell
phones that occur. Thus, to each outcome in the sample space we shall assign a value. These are 0,1,2,or
3. If there is no defective cell phone, we assign the number 0; if there is 1 defective cell phone, we assign
number 1; if there are 2 defective cell phones, we assign number 2; and 3, if there are three defective
cell phones. The number of defective cell phones is a random variable. The possible values of this
random variable are 0,1,2,and 3.
Illustration:

Let D represent the defective cell phone and N represent the non-defective cell phone. If we let x be the
random variable representing the number of defective cell phones, Show the values of the random
variable X?Complete The table below to show the values of the random variable.

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES Value of the Random Variable macron(number of

Defective cellphones)

NNN 0

NND 1

NDN 1

DNN 1

NDD 2

DND 2

DDN 2

DDD 3

What are the steps in determining the values of Random Variable?

1. Determine the sample space.

2. Count the number in each outcome in the sample space and assign this number to this outcome.

EXERCISES:

1. Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable representing the number of tails
that occur. Find the values of the random variable Y. Make a table.
2. Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from an urn containing 5 red balls and 6
blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values of
the random variable Z. Make a table.
 1.
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES Value of the Random Variable Y(number of tails)

2.
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES Value of the Random Variable Y(number of blue balls)

 A discrete random variable can assume a countable number of values.

 Number of steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower*
 A continuous random variable can assume any value along a given interval of a number line.
 The time a tourist stays at the top once s/he gets there
Discrete random variables

1. Number of sales
2. Number of calls
3. Shares of stock
4. People in line
5. Mistakes per page

Continuous random variables

1. Length
2. Depth
3. Volume
4. Time
5. Weight

Exercises:

A. Classify the ff. random variables as discrete or continuous.

1. Number of foreigners migrating to the Philippines every year.

2. Length of hair of female students.

3. The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius.

4. John’s height is 168 cm.

5. The number of children with missing/ decayed teeth in Barangay A is 2,000.

6. The ff. data are the densities of sample substance taken from Tabing –ilog in g/cc: 23.6, 19.8, 15.0,
7.8, 1.6, and 2.4.

7. The average speed of motor boats cruising in Manila Bay every day is 50m/s.

8. Her home telephone number is 2581376.

9. Anxiety level of 6 selected grade on epupils of MCU Elementary school

Maria- low Luisa- average

Martha- high Lana - High

Kelly –average Sandy – low

10. Religion of 4 applicants at YYY company.

Applicant A – Roman Catholic

Applicant B – High

Applicant C – Roman Catholic

Applicant D – Seventh Day

B. Classify the ff. random variables as discrete or continuous.
1. the number of defective computers produced by a manufacturer.
2. the weight of new born each year in a hospital.
3. the number of siblings in a family of a region.
4. the amount of paint utilized in a building.
5. the number of dropout in a school district for a period of 10 years.
6. the speed of a car.
7. the number of female athletes.
8. the time needed to finish the test.
9. the amount of sugar in a cup of coffee.
10. the number of people who are playing lotto each day.
11. the number of accidents per year at an intersection.
12. the number of voters favoring a candidate.
13. the number of bushels of apples per hectare this year
14. the number of patient arrivals per hour at a medical clinic.
15. the average amount of electricity consumed per household per month.

EXIT CARD:
1. In this lesson, I learned
about_________________________________________________.
2. I can use these
concepts________________________________________________________________.
3. These are very important
because_________________________________________________________________.
4. I understand
that____________________________________________________________________.
5. I can use the basic concept of this topic in my day- to- day activities
by_____________________________________________________________________.