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DISTRIBUTION OF
RANDOM VARIABLES
4.1 RANDOM VARIABLE
Definition:
A random variable is a variable whose value is determined by the
outcome of a random experiment.
Suppose one family is randomly selected from the population. The process of
random selection is called random or chance experiment.
Let X be the number of vehicles owned by the selected family (0, 1, 2, , n).
Therefore the first column represents five possible values (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) of
vehicles owned by the selected family.
This table shows that 30 families do not have vehicle, 470 families have
1 vehicle, 850 families have 2 vehicles, 490 families have 3 vehicles and
160 families have 4 vehicles.
Example 1
Consider the table below. Let X be the number of vehicles owned by a randomly
selected family. Write the probability distribution of X and graph for the data.
0
0.015
1
0.235
2
0.425
3
0.245
4
0.080
P(X)
0.45
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
X
0
Example 2
During the summer months, a rental agency keeps track of the number of cars it rents
each day during a period of 90 days and X denotes the number of cars rented per
day. Construct a probability distribution and graph for the data.
X
Number of days
0
1
2
45
30
15
90
Total
Solution:
When
0
0.5
1
0.33
2
0.17
3
Example 3
A small farm has 10 cows where 6 of them are males and the rest are females. A
veterinary in country XY wants to study about the foot and mouth disease which attacks
the cows. Therefore, she randomly selects without replacement, two cows as a
sample from the farm. Based on the study, construct a probability distribution where X
is the random variable representing the number of male cows being selected. (Use a
tree diagram to illustrate the above event).
ii)
P(X) = 1
Example 4
The following table lists the probability distribution of car sales per day in a used car
shop based on past data.
Car Sales per day, X
P(X)
0
0.10
1
0.25
2
0.30
3
0.35
Find the probability that the number of car sales per day is,
a)
none
b)
exactly 1
c)
1 to 3
d)
more than 1
4.3.1
at most 2
It is denoted by
X .P( X )
The mean of a discrete random variable X is also called its expected value
and is denoted by E(X),
E(X) = X .P( X )
Definition:
The standard deviation of a discrete random variable X which
measures the spread of its probability distribution.
x P(x)
2
In contrast, a smaller value for the standard deviation indicates that most of
the values that X can assume cluster closely around the mean.
Example 5
The following table lists the probability distribution of car sales per day in a used car
dealer based on past data. P(X) is the probability of the corresponding value of X = x.
Calculate the expected number of sales per day and followed by its standard deviation.
X
0
1
2
3
Total
P(X)
0.1
0.25
0.3
0.35
1.00
Solution:
0
0.5
1
0.33
2
0.17
Solution:
Mean
Standard Deviation
P( X x)
is a
F ( x) :
FORMULA
F ( x) P( X x) P( X x)
x x0
and
FORMULA
where;
P( X x) ,
Example 7
A discrete random variable X has the following probability distribution.
X
P( X x)
1
30
3
10
1
2
1
6
P(X)
F(X)
Example 8
A discrete random variable X has the following cumulative distribution.
1
21 , for 0 x 1
3 , for 1 x 2
21
6
, for 2 x 3
F ( x) 21
10
, for 3 x 4
21
15
21 , for 4 x 5
1 , for x 5
a) Construct the probability distribution of X.
X
P(X)
F(X)
10
ii.
cumulative distribution of X
11
Number of days
2
4
7
8
13
10
3
3
12
c) The manager expects that five room bookings were cancelled for a day. Is
the manager expectation true? Explain.
d) Find the probability that at most three room bookings were cancelled.
e) Find the standard deviation for the number of room bookings being
cancelled.
Y
P(Y)
Y2.P(Y)
13
14
EXERCISE 4:
1. The following table gives the probability distribution of a discrete random
variable X.
x
P(X)
0
0.03
1
0.17
2
0.22
3
0.31
4
0.15
5
0.12
exactly 1.
at most 1.
at least 3.
2 to 5.
more than 3.
2. The following table lists the frequency distribution of data collected by a local
research agency. Let X denote the number of television sets owned by a
randomly selected family from this town.
Number of TV sets
owned
Number of families
a)
b)
110
891
329
340
151
76
103
exactly 3.
more than 2.
at most 2.
1 to 3.
at least 4.
15
0
0.05
1
0.12
2
0.19
3
0.30
4
0.18
5
0.10
6
0.06
Calculate the mean and standard deviation for this probability distribution.
5. According to a survey, 30% of adults are against using animals for research.
Assume that this result holds true for the current population of all adults. In a
random sample of three adults, let X be the number of adults who agree
using animals for research. Obtain:
a)
b)
b)
6. In a genetics investigation, cat litters with ten kittens of which three are
males, are studied. The scientist selects three kittens randomly. Let X be the
number of female kittens being selected and construct probability distribution
for X (you may use tree diagram to represent the above event). Based on the
probability distribution obtained, find the:
a)
b)
mean.
standard deviation.
7. A box holds 5 whites and 3 black marbles. If two marbles are drawn
randomly without replacement and X denoted the number of white marbles,
a)
b)
8. The following table is the probability distribution for the number of traffic
accidents which occur daily in a small city.
Number of
accidents (Y)
P(Y)
a)
b)
c)
0.10
0.20
9a
3a
16
a)
b)
c)
0
0.32
1
0.35
2
0.18
3
0.08
4
0.04
5
0.02
6
0.01
10. You are trying to develop a strategy for investing in two different stocks. The
anticipated annual return for a RM1,000 investment in each stock has the
following probability distribution.
Stock A
-100
0
80
150
a)
b)
c)
11.
Returns (RM), X
Stock B
50
150
-20
-100
P(X)
0.1
0.3
0.3
a
17
Matric. No.:________________
Group: _________
TUTORIAL CHAPTER 4
The random variable X represents the number of children per family in a rural
area in Ohio, with the probability distribution: p(x) = 0.05x, x = 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
1.
X
P(X)
2.
3.
18
b. P(X > 4)
c. P(3 X 5)
e. P(X = 4.5)
19