The Mean and Standard Deviation of a Discrete

Random Variable
Learning Competencies: The learner …
7. illustrates the mean and variance of a discrete random variable.
8. calculates the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable
9. interprets the mean and the variance of a discrete random variable
10. solves problems involving mean and variance of probability
distributions
Review on symbols:

  population mean
x  population mean
Example 1. Find the mean of the discrete random variable X whose probability distribution is

Solution: The formula in the definition gives

Key Concept
Standard deviation tells us how spread out or clustered are the values about the mean of a data set
 2  Var  X     x 2  P  x     2
  Var  X 
Example 1. Find the standard of the discrete random variable X whose probability
distribution is

Solution: The formula in the definition gives

 2  Var  X     x 2  P  x     2
  Var  X 
  
    2   0.21  1  0.34    2  0.24    3.5  0.21   1.14
2 2 2 2

2

 3.41
 4.71  1.30
 1.85
 3.41
Example 2: Shown below is the probability distribution of X = the number of students
utilizing the Math Laboratory per day.
X 6 8 10 12 14
P(X) 0.1 0.35 0.3 0.15 0.1

a. Find the mean and standard deviation.

Solution:
a.
  X PX 
  6  0.1   8  0.35   10  0.3   12  0.15   14  0.1
 9.6

 2  Var  X     x 2  P  x     2   Var  X 
   62  0.1   82  0.35   102  0.3   122  0.15   142  0.1  9.62  5.04
 5.04  2.24
Example 2: Shown below is the probability distribution of X = the number of students
utilizing the Math Laboratory per day.
X 6 8 10 12 14
P(X) 0.1 0.35 0.3 0.15 0.1

b. Give the probability that at least 12 students are using the laboratory in a given day

Solution:
a. “at least 12 students” means greater than or equal to 12 students

P  X  12   P 12   P 14 
 0.15  0.1
 0.25
This means that the probability of having at least 12 students in a given day is 25%.
 Games of Chance and Expected Value
If you go to Time Zone Ayala Center you can play several game of chance. These are games which do not
require skills but purely games of chance and players who will win the games will be awarded with tickets
and eventually exchange them for a large prize at booths also located within the arcade.

Suppose you are with your brother and he wants to obtain a prize ( a giant robot) that costs 500 tickets. He
can only choose from the following two games: a slot machine and a spinning wheel. Each game costs P20
per play. He has to choose only one game but he can play as many times as it takes to earn 500 tickets.
Listed below are the probability distributions for the two games:
Slot Machine Spinning Wheel
Tickets Probability Tickets Probability
1 0.44 1 0.50
5 0.40 2 0.20
10 0.10 5 0.15
50 0.05 25 0.10
100 0.01 100 0.05

Which game would you advise to your brother to play?

 Real-life Application and Expected Value
Slot Machine Spinning Wheel
Tickets Probability Tickets Probability
1 0.44 1 0.50
5 0.40 2 0.20
10 0.10 5 0.15
50 0.05 25 0.10
100 0.01 100 0.05
Solution:
EX   X PX  EX   X PX 
 1 0.44    5  0.40   10  0.10   1 0.50    2  0.20    5  0.15 
  50  0.05   100  0.01   25  0.10   100  0.0 
 6.94  9.15
On average, your brother can only earn 7 tickets for each On average, your brother can only earn 9 tickets for each
play. play.

Therefore, the spinning wheel would be the best game to play.

 Real-life Application
The Parents-Teachers Association of Grade 12 is selling 1000 raffle tickets for P20 each to raise funds for
the coming Family Day Celebration. If you buy 3 tickets, what are your expected winnings given that the
major prize for the winner is P2500 worth of groceries?

Solution:
Let X be the winning amount. The probability distribution is given below.
X 2500 0
P(X) 3/1000 997/1000

EX   X PX 
 3   997 
  2500   0 
 1000   1000 
 7.5

This means that your expected winning is P7.5 if you buy 3 raffle tickets.
 Real-life Application
The Verbum Day Carwash loses P800 during rainy days and gains P3500 when it is not raining. What is the
expected value if the probability of raining is 20%?

Solution:
Let X be the gain. The probability distribution is given below.

X -800 3500
P(X) .20 .80

EX   X PX 
  800  0.20    3500  3500 
 P 2,640

This means that on average the Verbum Day Carwash on average gains 2, 6400.
Open you book on page 20. Answer test C, items 1,3,4,5