Discrete Random Variables
• Discrete values, in the context of mathematics and data, refer to values that can only
take on specific, distinct, and separate points within a given range. These values are
typically counted in a finite or countable manner, and there are no values in between.
Discrete values are the opposite of continuous values, which can take on an infinite
number of values within a range.
• For example, when counting the number of apples in a basket, you are dealing with
discrete values because you can only have whole numbers of apples, such as 1, 2, 3,
and so on. There cannot be a fractional or continuous value like 2.5 apples.
• In the context of data and statistics, discrete variables are those that represent
specific categories or distinct values. For example, the number of students in a
classroom, the count of cars in a parking lot, or the number of goals scored in a soccer
game are all examples of discrete data.
• On the other hand, continuous variables represent values that can fall within a
continuous range. For example, temperature, weight, and height are typically
considered continuous variables because they can take on a wide range of values,
including fractional and decimal values.
Consider the experiment of rolling a fair six-sided
die, and let X be the random variable
representing the outcome. X can take values from
1 to 6, corresponding to the six faces of the die.
The probability distribution for X is as follows:
P(X = 1) = 1/6 P(X = 2) = 1/6 P(X = 3) = 1/6 P(X = 4) = 1/6 P(X = 5)
= 1/6 P(X = 6) = 1/6
To find the mean (expected value) of this discrete random variable X,
you calculate it as follows:
E(X) = Σ [X * P(X)]
Where: So, the mean (expected value) of rolling a
•E(X) is the expected value (mean). fair six-sided die is 3.5. This means that, on
•X represents the value of the random variable. average, you can expect to get a value of
•P(X) represents the probability associated with 3.5 when rolling the die many times. It's a
that value. measure of central tendency that reflects
E(X) = (1 * 1/6) + (2 * 1/6) + (3 * 1/6) + (4 * 1/6) + the "center" of the probability distribution for
(5 * 1/6) + (6 * 1/6) this random variable. In this case, since each
E(X) = (1/6) + (2/6) + (3/6) + (4/6) + (5/6) + (6/6) outcome has an equal probability of 1/6, the
E(X) = (21/6) mean is simply the average of all possible
E(X) = 3.5 outcomes, which is (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6) /
6 = 3.5.