MEAN, MEDIAN AND MODE OF A CONTINUOUS PROBABILITY

DISTRIBUTION

MEAN

E( X )     x f ( x)dx , where

f ( x ) is a pdf function.

Example 1
A continuous random variable X takes values between 0 and 1 and has a probability
density function f ( x)  k x (1  x).
a) Find the value of k.
b) Calculate the mean value of the distribution.

Using TI Nspire calculator:

a) For f(x) to be a pdf the area b) To find the mean we can use the
under the curve has to be 1. calculator as shown:

Graph the function over the given

interval:
The above calculations would need to
be done by hand on Paper 1. Try to do
it for practice.

As f(x) is non-negative over the given

interval and the area under the curve is
1, then it is a pdf.

1
Example 2
A continuous random variable X has a pdf function:
 k

f ( x)  1  x , 0  x 1
0 elsewhere

a) Find the exact value of k.

b) Find the mean of the distribution using your CAS calculator.

Solution:
a)
1
k
 1  xdx  1
0
1
1
k dx  1
0
1 x
1
 ln(1  x)0 
1

k
1
ln 2 
k
1
k
ln 2

Confirm graphically:

b) mean = 0.443

2
MODE
The mode or modal value of a continuous random variable X with a probability
density function f(x) is the value of x for which f(x) takes a maximum value. Thus the
mode is the x-coordinate of the maximum point on the graph of f(x).

Example 3
3 2
The continuous random variable X has a pdf given by f ( x)  x (2  x), 0  x  2.
4
Find the mode of the distribution. Local Maximum
f(x) ( 1.3333 , 0.8889 )

-1 1 2 3 x

Use calculus to find the stationary point.

-1

f ( x) 
3
4
 2 x 2  x3 
3 3
f ( x)  (4 x  3x 2 )  x(4  3x)  0
4 4
4
x
3
4
The mode of the distribution is .
3

MEDIAN
The median of a continuous random variable X with probability density function f(x)
m 
is the value of m such that 

f ( x)dx   f ( x)dx  0.5
m

Thus the line x  m divides the area under the graph of f(x) into two qual areas.

Example 4
3
A continuous random variable X has a pdf f ( x)  ( x  1) 2 , 0  x  2 . Find the
26
median of the distribution.

3
m
1
 f ( x)dx  2
0
f(x)

m
1
3 1
0 26 ( x  1) dx  2
2

1
3
m x = ( 14 ) – 1
 3 ( x  1)3  1
 26 3   2
 0
m 1 -1 1 2 3 x
 ( x  1)3    26
0 2
(m  1)  1  13
3

m  1  3 14
-1
m  3 14  1  1.41

The median of the distribution is about 1.41

Example 5
A continuous random variable X has a pdf function:
1  cos x

f ( x)    ,0  x  
0, otherwise

Calculate the mean and median of the distribution.

Example 6

The lifetime of a particular component of a solar cell is Y years, where Y is a

continuous random variable with probability density function

 0 when y  0
f ( y)  
0.5e
- y/2
when y  0.
(a) Find the probability, correct to four significant figures, that a given
component fails within six months.

Each solar cell has three components which work independently and the cell will
continue to run if at least two of the components continue to work.

(b) Find the probability that a solar cell fails within six months.