Statistics and

Probability
Third Quarter
Module 1: Random Variables
and Probability Distributions
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
REGION VII-CENTRAL VISAYAS
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF SIQUIJOR

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 Statistics and
Probability
Third Quarter
Module 1: Random Variables
and Probability Distributions
 INTRODUCTION
This module is written in support of the K to 12 Basic Education
Program to ensure attainment of standards expected of you as a learner.

This aims to equip you with essential knowledge on Random Variables

and Probability Distributions.

This includes the following activities/tasks:

■ Expected Learning Outcome — This lays out the learning outcome
that you are expected to have accomplished at the end of the module.
■ Pre-test — This determines your prior learning on the particular
lesson you are about to take.
■ Discussion of the Lesson —This provides you with the important
knowledge, principles and attitude that will help you meet the expected
learning outcome.
■ Learning Activities — These provide you with the application of the
knowledge and principles you have gained from the lesson and enable you to
further enhance your skills as you carry out prescribed tasks.
■ Post-test — This evaluates your overall understanding about the
module.
With the different activities provided in this module, may you find this
material engaging and challenging as it develops your critical thinking skills.

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 What I Need To Know

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

➢ illustrate a random variable (discrete and continuous);
➢ distinguish between a discrete and a continuous random variable;
➢ find the possible values of a random variable;
➢ compute probabilities corresponding to a given random variable.

What I Know

Directions: Read and answer each item carefully. Write your answers in your
activity notebook.

I. Classify the following random variables as discrete or continuous.

Write D if the random variable is discrete and write C if the random
variable is continuous.
1. the number of defective computers produced by a manufacturer
2. the weight of newborns each year in a hospital
3. the amount of paint utilized in a building project
4. the number of drop-out in a school district for a period of 10
years.
5. the amount of sugar in a cup of coffee
6. the average amount of electricity consumed per household per
month

II. Find the possible values of the random variable as stated in the
following word problem.

1. Suppose two coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable

representing the number of heads that occur. Find the values of
the random variable Y and compute the probability of P(Y).
Complete the table below.

Possible Outcomes Value of the Probability

Random Variable P(Y)
(number of heads)

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 What`s In
Let us look back on your lessons about Probability in your early years
in Junior High School. Recall that a variable is a characteristic or attribute
that can assume different values and we use capital letters to denote or
represent it. In this module, we shall discuss variables that are associated
with probabilities, called random variables.
But before we proceed with our lessons, let us review some terms that
might help you understand this module more.
• Activities such as tossing or flipping a coin or picking a card from a
standard deck of cards without looking which could be repeated over
and over again and which have well-defined results are called
experiments.
• The results of an experiment are called outcomes.
• The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment is called sample
space.

Below is a table showing examples of experiments and sample spaces

for better understanding of the given terms that are commonly used in this
module.
EXPERIMENT SAMPLE SPACE
Flipping two coins Head-Head, Head-Tail, Tail-Head,
Tail-Tail
Rolling a die 1,2,3,4,5,6
Rolling a coin and a die Head-1, Head-2, Head-3, Head-4,
simultaneously Head-5, Head-6,
Tail-1, Tail-2, Tail-3, Tail-4, Tail-5,
Tail-6
Drawing a card from a deck of 52 13 Diamonds, 13 Hearts, 13
cards Spades, 13 Clubs
(Ace,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, Jack, King
and Queen)

Now that you have reviewed the terms, you are now ready to proceed to
the next parts of this module.

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 What`s New

Here is a problem for you to try!

Suppose three mobile phones are tested at

random. We want to find out the number of
defective mobile phones that occur.

What do you think about the random variable in this activity?

Is it a discrete random variable? or a continuous random variable?

What Is It

If three coins are tossed, what numbers can be assigned for the frequency
of heads that will occur? If three cards are drawn from a deck, what number
can be assigned for the frequency of face cards that will occur? The answers
to these questions require an understanding of random variables. But what
is a random variable?
A random variable is a variable whose value is a numerical outcome of a
phenomenon. A random variable has a whole set of values and it could take
on any of those values, randomly. We use capital letters like X and Y, to avoid
confusion with the Algebra type of variable.
Discrete and Continuous Random Variables
Random Variables can be further classified into discrete and continuous.
a. Discrete random variable has a countable number of possible
values. Mostly, discrete random variables represent count data,
such as the number of defective chairs produced in a
manufacturing company.
b. Continuous random variable takes values on a continuous scale.
Often, continuous random variables represent measured data,
such as heights, weights, and temperature.

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 With this classification, study the following table for more examples
of discrete and continuous data.
TYPE OF
VARIABLE EXAMPLE QUANTITATIVE
VARIABLE
Number of siblings in
3 brothers Discrete
the family
Age of your Mother 45 years old Discrete
Distance from your
residence to your 5.6 km. Continuous
school
Usual daily allowance
Php 20.00 Discrete
in school
Usual number of text
messages sent in a 120 messages Discrete
day
Speed of a vehicle 43.8 km./hr. Continuous
Shoe size 25.7 cm. Continuous

These are just few of the many examples of discrete and continuous
data.

Finding the Possible Values of a Random Variable and Computing

Probabilities Corresponding to a Given Random Variable

Decision-making is an important aspect in business, education,

insurance, and other real-life situations. Many decisions are made by
assigning probabilities to all possible outcomes pertaining to the situation.
Let us study the following examples.
Examples:
1. Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable
representing the number of tails that occur. Find the values of the
random variable Y and find the probability of each of the values of
the random variable Y.

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Solution:
STEPS SOLUTION
1. Determine the sample space. Let H The sample space for this experiment
represent head and T represent tail. is:
S = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, HHT, HTH,
THH, HHH}

Note: There are 2 x 2 x 2 = 8

possible outcomes in this
experiment.
2. Count the number of tails in each
outcome in the sample space and
assign this number to this outcome. Possible Value of the
Outcomes Random
Variable Y
(number of
tails)
TTT 3
TTH 2
THT 2
HTT 2
HHT 1
HTH 1
THH 1
HHH 0

3. There are four possible values of the

random variable Y representing the
number of tails. These are 0,1,2 and umber of
3. Assign probability values P(Y) to Probability
Tails
each value of the random variable. P(Y)
(Y)
• There are 8 possible outcomes and no
tail occurs once, so the probability that
0 1/8
we shall assign to the random variable 0
is 1/8.
• There are 8 possible outcomes and 1 tail
occurs three times, so the probability 1 3/8
that we shall assign to the random
variable 1 is 3/8.
• There are 8 possible outcomes and 2 2 3/8
tails occur three times, so the
probability that we shall assign to the
random variable 2 is 3/8. 3 1/8
• There are 8 possible outcomes and 3
tails occur once, so the probability that
we shall assign to the random variable 3
is 1/8.

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 Thus, the possible values of the random variable Y are 0,1,2 and 3.
And their corresponding probabilities are: 1/8, 3/8, 3/8 and 1/8
respectively.
So, the Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of
Discrete Random Variable Y is,

Number of Tails (Y) 0 1 2 3

Probability P(Y) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8

Remember:
A discrete probability distribution or a probability mass
function consists of the values a random variable can assume and the
corresponding probabilities of the values.
Properties of a Probability Distribution
1. The probability of each value of the random variable must be
between or equal to 0 and 1. In symbols, 0≤ P(X) ≤ 1.
2. The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable
must be equal to 1. In symbols, we write it as ∑ 𝑃(𝑋) = 1.

2. Two balls are drawn in succession without replacement from a

jar containing 5 red balls and 6 blue balls. Let Z be the random
variable representing the number of blue balls. Find the values of
the random variable Z. Construct the probability distribution of the
random variable Z.

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Solution:
STEPS SOLUTION
1. Determine the sample The sample space for this experiment is:
space. Let B S = {RR, RB, BR, BB}
represent the blue
ball and R represent
the red ball.
2. Count the number of
blue balls in each Possible Outcomes Value of the Random
outcome in the Variable Z
sample space and (number of blue balls)
assign this number to RR 0
this outcome. RB 1
BR 1
BB 2

3. There are three

possible values of the
random variable Z
representing the
number of blue balls. Number of Blue
Probability
These are 0,1, and 2. Balls
P(Z)
Assign probability (Z)
values P(Z) to each
value of the random
variable. 0 ¼
• There are 4 possible
outcomes and no
blue ball occurs once, 1 ½
so the probability
that we shall assign
to the random
2 ¼
variable 0 is 1/4.
• There are 4 possible
outcomes and 1 blue
ball occurs two times,
so the probability
that we shall assign
to the random
variable 1 is 1/2.
• There are 4 possible
outcomes and 2 blue
balls occur once, so
the probability that
we shall assign to the
random variable 2 is
1/4.

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So, the Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass Function of
Discrete Random Variable Z is,

Number of Blue Balls (Z) 0 1 2

Probability P(Z) 1/4 1/2 1/4

Let us try to answer the activity in What’s New.

Suppose three mobile phones are tested at random. We want to find out the
number of defective mobile phones that occur.
Solution:
Let D represent the defective mobile phone and let N represent the non-
defective mobile phone. If we let X be the random variable representing the number
of defective mobile phones, show the values of the random variable X and construct
the probability distribution of the random variable. Complete the table below to show
the values of the random variable.

Following the given steps in the first two examples, we get:

Value of the Random Variable X

Possible Outcomes
(number of defective mobile phones)

NNN 0

NND 1

NDN 1

DNN 1

NDD 2

DND 2

DDN 2

DDD 3
What do you think is the type of quantitative variable being shown in the
word problem? Very Good! It is an example of a discrete random variable since
the defective mobile phones can be counted.
Probability Distribution or Probability Mass Function of the Discrete
Random Variable X.
Number of Defective
0 1 2 3
Mobile Phones (X)
Probability P(X) 1/8 3/8 3/8 1/8

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 What`s More
Directions: Complete the following table.
1. Four coins are tossed. Let Z be the random variable representing
the number of tails that occur. Find the values of the random
variable Z. Construct the Probability Distribution or the
Probability Mass Function of Discrete Random Variable Y.

STEPS SOLUTION
1. Determine the S=
sample space. Let H
represent head and
T represent tail. Note: There are 2x2x2x2 = 16 possible outcomes
in this experiment.
2. Count the number of
tails in each Possible Outcomes Value of the Random
outcome in the Variable Y
sample space and (number of tails)
assign this number
to this outcome.

3. Construct the
Probability Number of
Distribution or the Tails (Z)
Probability Mass P(Z)
Function of Discrete
Random Variable Y.

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 What I Have Learned

I have learned that:

▪ a random variable is a variable whose value is a numerical
outcome of a phenomenon.
▪ discrete random variable has a countable number of possible
values.
▪ continuous random variable takes values on a continuous
scale.
▪ A discrete probability distribution or a probability mass
function consists of the values a random variable can assume
and the corresponding probabilities of the values.
▪ Properties of a Probability Distribution
1. The probability of each value of the random variable must
be between or equal to 0 and 1. In symbols, 0≤ P(X) ≤ 1.
2. The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random
variable must be equal to 1. In symbols, we write it as
∑ 𝑃(𝑋) = 1.

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 What I Can Do

Directions: Answer the following items based on what you have understood
from our discussions.
1. A shipment of five computers contains two that are slightly defective. If
a retailer receives three of these computers at random, list the elements
of the sample space S using the letters D and N for defective and non-
defective computers, respectively. Find the values of the random
variable X which represents the number of slightly defective computers
and construct the Probability Distribution or the Probability Mass
Function of the discrete random variable X. Complete the following
table.

Value of the Random

Possible Outcomes Variable X
(number of S)

Number of S (G)

P(G)

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 Assessment

Directions: Read and answer each item carefully. Write your answers in your
activity notebook.

I. Classify the following random variables as discrete or continuous.

Write D if the random variable is discrete and write C if the random
variable is continuous.

1. the time needed to finish the test

2. the number of voters favoring a candidate
3. the number of patient arrivals per hour at a medical clinic
4. the speed of a car
5. the temperature inside a container van
6. the number of baskets containing tomatoes per hectare this
year

II. Find the possible values of the random variable as stated in the
following word problem.

1. From a box containing 4 black balls and 2 green balls, 3 balls are
drawn in succession without replacement. Let G be a random
variable representing the number of green balls that occur. Find
the values of the random variable G and construct a Probability
Distribution.

Value of the Random

Possible Outcomes Variable
(number of green balls)

Number of S (G)
P(G)

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References:
Baccay, Elisa, Rene Belecina, and Efren Mateo. Statistics and Probability.
Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc., 2016.

Discrete Random Variables. accessed September 1, 2020.

https:///courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-statistics/chapter
/discrete-random-variables.

Discrete and Continuous Random Variables. accessed September 1, 2020.

http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/ugh/apstat/chapternotes/7supple-
ment.html.

Examples of Discrete and Continuous. accessed September 1, 2020.

https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_introductory-statistics/s08
-discrete-random-variables.html.

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