Statistics and probability
Module 1: random variables and probability distribution
Random Variables
A random variable is a numerical outcome of
a random phenomenon. It assigns numerical
values to each possible outcome of a random
experiment. Random variables are essential in
probability and statistics because they help
quantify uncertainty.
Types of Random Variables
A discrete random variable is a type of variable that can
only take specific, countable values.
It comes from counting things.
It has gaps between values (no decimals or fractions).
You can list all possible values.
Example:
It comes from counting things.
It has gaps between values (no decimals or fractions).
You can list all possible values.
Types of Random Variables
A continuous random variable can take any value
within a range, including decimals and fractions.
It comes from measuring things.
It can have infinite possible values within a range.
No gaps between values.
Examples:
Height of a person (e.g., 160.2 cm, 170.5 cm)
Weight of a watermelon (e.g., 3.45 kg, 5.8 kg)
Time taken to finish a race (e.g., 9.58 sec, 10.23 sec)
Example
Suppose two coins are tossed and we are
interested to determine the number of tails
that will come out. Let us use T to represent
the number of tails that will come out.
Determine the values of the random variable T.
Solution
When two coins are tossed, the possible outcomes are:
[Link] (0 tails)
[Link] (1 tail)
[Link] (1 tail)
[Link] (2 tails)
Since T represents the number of tails, the possible values
of the random variable T are:
T={0,1,2}
Example:
A basket contains 10 red balls and 4
white balls. If three balls are taken
from the basket one after the other,
determine the possible values of the
random variable R representing the
number of red balls
Solution
Identify the Possible Values of R
Since we are selecting 3 balls, the number of red balls (R) can be:
• 0 red balls (all 3 are white)
• 1 red ball (2 white, 1 red)
• 2 red balls (1 white, 2 red)
• 3 red balls (all are red)
List the Possible Values of R
R={0,1,2,3}
This means that in our selection of three balls, we can have anywhere
from 0 to 3 red balls.
Example
Four coins are tossed. Let T be the
random variable representing the
number of tails that occur. Find the
values of the random variable T.
Solution
When four coins are tossed, each coin can land on Heads (H) or Tails (T). The
random variable T represents the number of tails that occur.
1. Identify Possible Outcomes
o Since each coin has two possible outcomes, there are 2 ^ 4 = 6 total outcomes when
tossing four coins.
2. Count the Number of Tails in Each Case
Solution
3. List the Possible Values of T
o The possible values of T, the number of tails, are:
o T={0,1,2,3,4}
Example:
If two coins are tossed once, which is
NOT a possible value of the random
variable for the number of heads?
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
solution
When two coins are tossed once, the possible
outcomes are:
1. HH (2 heads)
2. HT (1 head)
3. TH (1 head)
4. TT (0 heads)
Identify whether the following are
discrete or continuous random
variables:
1. The number of books in a schoolbag.
2. The weight of a newborn baby.
3. The number of students who pass an exam.
4. The time it takes to complete a marathon.
Application Problem
1. Rolling Dice
a) A six-sided die is rolled twice. Let X represent the sum of the two
rolls.
List the possible values of X.
b) What is the probability that X = 7?
Application Problem
5. Drawing Balls from a Bag
a) A box contains 6 blue balls and 4 red balls. Two balls are drawn at random.
Let R be the random variable representing the number of red balls drawn.
a) List the possible values of R.
b) Find the probability that exactly one red ball is drawn.