SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Statistics and Probability

Quarter 3 Module 1
( Week 1)
Random Variables and Probability Distributions
About the Module

This module was designed and written with you, students, in mind. It is here to
help you understand the random variable and probability distribution.The
language used to recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons
are arranged to follow the Most Essential Lerning Competencies (MELC’S) released
by the Department of Education(DepEd) for this school year 2020 – 2021.

This module is divided into three lessons, namely;

● Lesson 1 – Discrete and Continuous Random Variable
● Lesson 2 – Finding Possible Values of a Random Variable
● Lesson 3 – Constructing Probability Distribution

After going through this module, you are expected to:

 illustrate a random variable ( discrete and continuous );
 distinguish between a discrete and continuous random variable;
 find the possible values of a random variable; and
 illustrate and compute a probability distribution for a discrete random
variable.

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 What I Know (Pre Test)
C
Instruction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following is a discrete random variable?

A. number of patients in a hospital
B. average weight of female athletics
C. average amount of electricity consumed
D. amount of paint used in repainting a building

2. If two coins are tossed, which is NOT a possible value of the random
variable for the number of heads?
A. 0 C. 2
B. 1 D. 3

3. Which formula gives the probability distribution shown by the table?

X 0 1 3

P(X) 1 1 1
2 3 6

1 6
A. P(X) = C. P(X) =
� �
� 1
B. P(X) = D. P(X) =
6 6

4. Which of the following statements is Not true?

A. Random variables can only have one value.
B. The value of a random variable could be zero.
C. The probability of the value of random variable could be zero.
D. The sum of all the probabilities in a probability distribution is always
equal to one.

�
5. If P(X) = 6
, what are the possible values of x for it be a probability
distribution?
A. 0,2,3 C. 2,3,4
B. 1,2,3 D. 1,1,2

6. The following random variable are examples of discrete, EXCEPT

the_______.
A. number of voters favoring of candidate
B. number of siblings in a family of a region
C. number of accidents per year at an intersection

1
 D. time needed to finish the test

7. A function that associates a real number to each element in the sample

space is called _______.
A. continuous C. random variable
B. discrete D. constant and variable

8. Suppose two coins are tossed. How many possible outcomes?

A. 2 C. 6
B. 4 D. 8

9. The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable must be
equal to____.
A. 1 C. -1
B. 0 D. -2

10.The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment is called the_______.

A. domain C. range
B. function D. sample space

For number 11-15 refer to the table shown below.

X 0 1 2 3
P(X) 1 3 3 1
8
8 8 8

11. How many possible outcomes in the table?

A. 2 C. 6
B. 4 D. 8

12. Which of the following numbers are the random variables of x?

A. 2,3,3,8 C. 0,1,2,3
B. 1,3,3,1 D. 0,0,1,2

13.What is the sum of P(X)?

A. 0 C. 2
B. 1 D. 3

14. X is referred to what?

A. Discrete C. random variable
B. Probability D. unknown

15. Does the table above belong to probability distribution?

A. yes C. maybe
B. no D. uncertain

2
 Lesson Discrete and Continuous Random
1 Variable

What I Need to Know

After going through this module, you are expected:
● illustrate a random variable (discrete and continuous); and
● distinguish between a discrete and continuous random
variable.

W What’s In

To find out if you are ready to learn this new lesson, do the following
activity.

Activity 1.1: Counting Nouns

Instructions: Classify the following nouns into countable or uncountable. Write
your answer on the separate paper.
1. school bags of the students 4. Water in the pond
2. sugar in a jar 5. Cars in the parking area
3. oil in a can

What’s New
D
A random variable is a function that associate a real number to each element in
the sample space. It is a variable whose values are determined by chance (Belecina
et al., 2016).
Classification of variables according to continuity of values
a. Discrete variables : These are variables that cannot take the form of
decimals.

b. Continuous variables: These are variables that can take the form of
decimals (Batacan et al., 2006).

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 What Is It

Random variable in the preceding activities is called discrete random

variable because the set of possible outcomes is countable. Mostly discrete random
variables represent count data, such as the number of defective tables produced in
a factory, number of teachers, number of houses, and size of the family (Belecina et
al., 2016).
Random variable is a continuous random variable if it takes on values on a
continuous scale. Often continuous random variables represent measured data
such as heights, length, weights, and temperature (Belecina et al., 2016).

What’s More

Activity 1.2: Understanding Random Variable

Instruction: Which of the following statements is consider discrete or continuous
data, then write your answer on separate sheet of paper.
1. The harvest package received second week was 4.3 kilos.
2. The maximum temperature in Metro Manila on Jan. 21,2018 according to
the weather newscaster was 34.20C.
3. In the city of Cebu, a total of 25 fires were reported by the Cebu City Fire
Department to have occurred during the year 2015.
4. Dr. Cano’s reported income for the past year was P 530,855.43 per
annum.
5. Only 345 applicants passed the College of Education Entrance Test in
Cebu Normal University.

W What I Need to Remember

Instru

A random variable is a function that associate a real

number to each element in the sample (Belecina et al.,
2016).
Discrete variables. These are variables that cannot
take the form of decimals (Batacan et al., 2006).
Continuous variables. These are variables that can
take the form of decimal (Batacan et al., 2006).

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 Lesson Finding of Possible Values of a
2 Random Variable

What I Need to Know

After going through this module, you are expected to:
● determine the sample space; and
● find the possible values of a random variable.

What’s In

Activity 2.1: Sample Space

Instructions: Complete the table below by writing sample space of each experiment.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Experiment Sample Space

1. Tossing two coins TT , HT, HH , HT

2. Rolling a die and tossing a coin

simultaneously

3. Drawing a heart from a deck of

cards

4. Drawing a card greater than 8

from a deck of cards.

What’s New
● Recall that a variable is a characteristic that can assume different
values. We use capital letters to or represent a variable. In this lesson, we
shall discuss variables that are associated with probabilities, called random
variables (Belecina et al., 2016).

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 What is It

Steps in finding possible outcome of random variable:

1. To determine the sample space/number possible outcome, use 2n where n is
refers to number of an object.
2. Make a table
3. Identify the possible values of the random variable.

Example: Drawing Balls from Basket

Two balls are drawn in succession without replacements from a basket, contains 4
yellow balls and 6 blue balls. Let X be the random variable representing the
number of blue balls, Find the values of the random variable X.

Solution:
A. Sample space/Number of possible outcomes 22 = 4. There are 4 possible
outcomes in drawing of balls from an urn.

B. Complete the table.

Possible Outcomes Values of the Random Variable X

(number of blue balls}

YY 0

YB 1

BY 1

BB 2

C. The possible values of the random variables X are 0,1,2.

What’s More

Activity 2.2: Tossing Three Coins

Instructions: Suppose three coins are tossed. Let P be the random variable
representing the number of tails that occur. Find the values of the
random variable P. Complete the table below.

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 Possible Values of the Random Variable P
Outcomes (number of tails)

What I Need to Remember?

Steps in finding possible outcome of random variable:

 To determine the sample space/number possible outcome, use 2n
where n is refers to number of an object.
 Make a table
 Identify the possible values of the random variable.

Lesson Constructing Probability

3 Distribution

What I Need To Know

After going through this module, you are expected to:

● apply the properties of a probability distribution; and
● illustrate and compute a probability distribution for a discrete random
variable.

W What’s In

Activity 3.1: Probability of Events

Instructions: Find the probability of the following events. Write your answer on
separate sheet of paper.

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 1. Getting an odd number in a single roll of a die.
2. Getting a sum of 6 when two dice are rolled.
3. Getting an ace when card is drawn from a deck.
4. Getting a sum of 11 when two dice are rolled.
5. Getting a black queen when a card is drawn from a deck.

What’s New

● Many decisions are made by assigning probabilities to all possible outcomes

pertaining to the situation and then evaluating the results. For example, a
banking firm might be able to assign probabilities to the number of cars a
family own. This information will help the firm in making decision regarding
future financial situation. This situation requires the use of random
variables and probability distribution (Belecina et al., 2016).

What is It
A
Discrete probability distribution or a probability mass function consists of the
values a random variable can assume and corresponding probabilities of the value
(Belecina et al., 2016)
Properties of a Probability Distribution (Belecina et al., 2016)
1. The probability of each value of the random variable must be between or equal
to 0 and 1.
2. The sum of the probability of all values of the random variable must be equal
to 1.
Example: Drawing Balls from Urn
Two balls are drawn in succession without replacements from an urn that contains
5 red balls and 6 blue balls. Let Z be the random variable representing the number
of red balls, construct the probability distribution of the random variable Z.
Solution:
A.

Possible Outcomes Values of the Random Variable Z

(number of red balls}

RR 2

RB 1

BR 1

BB 0

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 B.

Number of Blue Balls Probability P(Z)

Z

0 1
4
1 2 1
��
4 2
2 1
4

C.Get the sum of P(Z): ¼+½+¼=1

What’s More

Activity 3.2: Tossing Three Coins

Instructions: Suppose three coins are tossed. Let Y be the random variable
representing the number of heads that occur. Construct the probability distribution.
Complete the table below:

Possible Outcomes Values of the Random Probability P(Y)

Variable Y
(number of heads)

What I Need To Remember

Properties of a Probability Distribution (Belecina et al., 2016)

 The probability of each value of the random variable must be
between or equal to 0 and 1.
 The sum of the probability of all values of the random variable
must be equal to 1.

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 What I Can Do

Activity 3.3: Problem Solving

Instructions: Solve the problem
The daily demand for copies of comics at a variety store has the probability
distribution as follows. Answer the questions below the table in separate sheet of
paper.

Number of Copies x Probability P(X)

0 0.10
1 0.06
2 0.04
3 0.15
4 0.03
5 0.06
6 0.08
7 0.04
8 0.09
9 0.03
10 0.09

1. What is the probability that four or more copies will be demanded

in a day?

2. What is the probability that at least three but not more than five
will be demanded in a day?

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 Assessment (Post Test)

Instructions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on
a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following is a discrete random variable?

A. package received last week was 4 kilos
B. can of young corn which weighs 1.45 kg
C. maximum temperature in Leyte was 32.20 C
D. car Corp. reported, sold 458 cars the past 8 months

2. If three coins are tossed, which is NOT a possible value of the random
variable for the number of heads?
A. 4 C. 2
B. 3 D. 1

3. Which formula gives the probability distribution shown by the table?

X 2 3 6

P(X) 1 1 1
2 3 6
1 6
A. P(X) = C. P(X) =
� �
� 1
B. P(X) = D. P(X) =
6 6
4. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Random variables can only have one value.
B. The value of a random variable could not be zero.
C. The probability of the value of random variable could not be zero.
D. The sum of all the probabilities in a probability distribution is always
equal to one.

�
5. If P(X) = 4
, what are the possible values of x for it to be a probability
distribution?
A. 0,2,3 C. 2,3,4
B. 1,2,3 D. 1,1,2

6. The following random variables are examples of continuous, EXCEPT

the_______.
A. speed of the car
B. time needed to finish the test
C. amount of sugar in a cup of coffee
D. number of siblings in a family of a region

11
 7. A function that associates a real number to each element in the sample
space is called _______.
A. continuous C. random variable
B. discrete D. constant and variable

8. Suppose three coins are tossed. How many possible outcomes?

A. 2 C. 6
B. 4 D. 8
9. The sum of the probabilities of all values of the random variable must be
equal to____.
A. 1 C. -1
B. 0 D. -2
10.The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment is called the_______.
A. domain C. range
B. function D. sample space

For number 11-15 refer to the table shown below.

X 0 1 2
P(X) 1 1 1
4 2 4

11. How many possible outcomes in the table?

A. 2 C. 6
B. 4 D. 8
12. Which of the following numbers are the random variables of x?
A. 2,3,3 C. 0,1,2
B. 1,3,3 D. 0,0,1

13.What is the sum of P(X)?

A. 0 C. 2
B. 1 D. 3

14. X is referred to what?

A. discrete C. random variable
B. probability D. unknown

15. Does the table above belong to probability distribution?

A. yes C. maybe
B. no D. uncertain

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