Variance of a Discrete
Random Variable
●What is the difference between the
variance of a raw data to the variance of
a probability distribution?
●How does the interpretation of the
variance affects our understanding of
the probability distribution?
●What concepts about standard
deviation have you learned or
remembered while watching the
video?
●What is the standard deviation?
How do we apply it in a set of data?
Variance and Standard Deviation ( of a
1
Discrete Random Variable
describes the dispersion or the variability of the
distribution
The variance can be computed using the
formula
.
The standard deviation is the square root
of the variance. Thus, its formula is
expressed as .
Properties of the Variance
2 Let and be random variables, and
let and be constants. The following
properties hold:
1.
2. , provided that and are
independent of each other.
Example 1: Find the variance and the
standard deviation of the discrete random
variable with the following probability
distribution.
Solution:
1. Compute for
the mean of the
probability
distribution.
TOTAL
Solution:
Thus, the mean of the probability
distribution is .
Solution:
2. Construct the column for and .
Determine the values by squaring the
value of the random variable and
multiplying it to its corresponding
probability value .
Solution:
TOTAL
Solution:
3. Find the variance and the standard
deviation using their corresponding
formula.
Solution:
For the variance:
Solution:
For the standard deviation:
Solution:
Thus, the variance of the discrete
random variable is
while its standard deviation is .
Example 2: Find the variance and
standard deviation of the probability
distribution shown below.
Solution:
1. Compute for the
mean of the
probability
distribution.
Thus, the mean of
the probability
distribution is
. TOTAL
Solution:
2. Construct the column for and .
Determine the values by squaring the
value of the random variable and
multiplying it to its corresponding
probability value.
Solution:
TOTAL
Solution:
3. Find the variance and the standard
deviation using their corresponding
formula.
Solution:
For the variance:
Solution:
For the standard deviation:
Solution:
Thus, the variance of the discrete
random variable is
, and its standard deviation is .
Individual Practice:
[Link] the probability distribution of a
random variable below, compute for the
variance and standard deviation.
Individual Practice:
[Link] a probability distribution for
the random variable that refers to the
number of male offsprings in a family
with three children. Compute for the
variance and standard deviation of the
random variable and interpret the
result.
Group Practice: To be done in groups of
two to five.
1. Trixie Anne is comparing the data
retrieved from the sales of computers
last year and her organized data this
year. Last year, the expected value for
computer sales was 4 computers per
day with a standard deviation of 1.21
computers. Given the set of data below,
which year yields better sales?
Number of
Probability
Computers
1 Variance and Standard Deviation ( of a
Discrete Random Variable
describes the dispersion or the variability of the distribution
2 Properties of the Variance
Let and be random variables, and let and be constants. The following
properties hold:
1.
2. , provided that and are independent of each other.