Activity Sheet No.

1: Random Variables
Content Standard: The learner demonstrates understanding of key concepts of random variables and probability
distributions.
Performance Standard: The learner is able to apply an appropriate random variable for a given real-life problem
(such as in decision making and games of chance).
Learning Competencies
1. Illustrates a random variable (discrete and continuous). M11/12SP-IIIa-1
2. Distinguishes between a discrete and a continuous random variable. M11/12SP-IIIa-2

Activity 1.

Materials to be needed:
2 identical coins with coin 1 marked 1 and coin 2 marked 2. 1 2
Perform the following.

1. A coin has two faces, the head (H) and the tail (T). Flip coins 1 and 2 and take note of the result. Repeat
flipping the coins until all 4 different results are obtained. Write them in the 2nd column of the table below.

Example: The 1st flip was done for you. If in your 1st toss coin1 gives a head and coin2 gives a head, then
the result is HH.

2. Let X be the number of H that appears in each result. Write the value of X on the 2nd column.

X
Result
(Number of H)
HH

Activity 2.
Materials Needed: Tape measure
Instruction: Randomly select 3 classmates. Measure their heights. Let it be Y. Take note of the results.

Classmate Y (Heights)
A
B
C
Answer the following questions. Be resourceful.
1. The number of heads that appeared in the experiment of flipping two coins and the height of the 3 randomly
chosen classmates are examples of random variables. Discuss briefly what random variables are and how
they are denoted.
Answer: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
 2. There are two types of random variables: Continuous Random Variables and Discrete Random Variables.
Differentiate these two types of random variables by giving attention to how their values are obtained.
Answer: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Classify X and Y as continuous or discrete random variable. Justify your answer.
Answer: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Performance Task:
Write R in column 2 if the given in column 1 is a random variable or N if it is not. Write C in column 3 if the
given in column 1 is a continuous random variable or D if it is a discrete random variable.

Statement R (random variable) C (Continuous)

or N (not) or D (Discrete)

The types of bags displayed in a shop.

The body temperature of shoppers randomly chosen in a mall.
The colors of the rainbow.
The salary received by the randomly chosen teachers in the
Philippines.
The love of randomly chosen parents for their children.
The sleeping time of randomly chosen toddlers in Iloilo City.
The joy felt by randomly chosen women who received a bouquet of
chocolates on Valentine's Day.
The foot-size of the 2-year-old children who were chosen
randomly.
The number of books randomly chosen in the school’s library.
The number of dots that appear when rolling two dice.
 Activity Sheet No. 2: Possible Values of a Random Variable
Content Standard: The learner demonstrates understanding of key concepts of random variables and probability
distributions.
Performance Standard: The learner is able to apply an appropriate random variable for a given real-life problem
(such as in decision making and games of chance).
Learning Competencies
1. finds the possible values of a random variable. M11/12SP-IIIa-3

Example 1. Let X be the number of H that appears in flipping two coins. The table below shows all possible results
and the number of heads in each result or outcome.
Result X
Number of H

HH 2
The possible values of the random variable X are 0,
HT 1 1, and 2. This is denoted by 𝐗 = {𝟎, 𝟏, 𝟐}. Values are
TH 1
strictly not repeated.

TT 0

Example 2. Let Y be the heights of 3 randomly chosen students in a class. The table below shows the results.
Classmate Y (Heights) The possible values of the random variable Y are
A 1.58 m 1.4m and 1.58m. This is denoted by 𝐘 = {𝟏. 𝟒, 𝟏. 𝟓𝟖}.
B 1.4m Values are strictly not repeated.

C 1.58m

Performance Task:
An experiment is conducted by rolling a die and flipping a coin at the same time. Let Y be the sum of the number of
dots that appeared from the die and the value of the face that appeared from the coin if the head’s value (H) is 2 and
the tail’s value (T) is 0.

Complete the table below.

Possible The possible values of the random variable Y are

Y
Outcomes/Result _______________________________________________________________.
This is denoted by
________________________________________________________________.

How did you identify the possible values of the random

variable? __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________.
What must be remembered in writing the values of a random
variable? ____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________.
 Activity Sheet No. 3: The Probability Distribution of a Discrete Random Variable
Content Standard: The learner demonstrates understanding of key concepts of random variables and probability
distributions.
Performance Standard: The learner is able to apply an appropriate random variable for a given real-life problem
(such as in decision making and games of chance).
Learning Competencies:
1. Illustrates a probability distribution for a discrete random variable and its properties.M11/12SP-IIIa-4
2. Computes probabilities corresponding to a given random variable. M11/12SP-IIIa-6
3. Draw the histogram of a probability distribution.

Example 1. Let X be the number of H that appears in flipping two coins. Create a probability distribution for X.
Result X Frequency Study the table at the left and answer the questions below:
HH 2 1 1. Define frequency based on the table. ______________________________
HT _________________________________________________________________________.
1 2
TH
TT 0 1 2. How is the total frequency obtained? ______________________________

4 _________________________________________________________________________.
Total Frequency

The Probability Distribution of the Discrete Random Variable X is given below. Study the table and answer the
questions.
1. Define Probability. _______________________________________________________
X P(X) ____________________________________________________________________________.
No. of Heads Probability of X
1 2. What is the meaning of P(X)? ____________________________________________
0
4 _____________________________________________________________________________.
2
1 3. Based on the table, give the values of P(0), P(1), and P(2)?
4
1
2 P(0) = _______ ; P(1)= _______ ; P(2)= _______
4

Study the Histogram of the Discrete Random Variable X below. Compare the graph and the table above and answer
the questions that follow:
1. What is a histogram? _____________________________________________________
3
4 ______________________________________________________________________________.
2
4 2. Where does the height of the histogram come from?
1 _______________________________________________________________________________.
4
3. Where does the width of the histogram come from?
0 1 2
______________________________________________________________________________.
To find the properties of the probability distribution, answer the following questions:
1. Describe the probability of each value of the discrete random variable X. Is it possible to have a probability
of more than 1? Is it possible to have a probability of less than zero?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
2. What is the sum of the probabilities of all values of the discrete random variable X?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Performance Task:

1. Three coins are tossed. Let X be the sum of H and T when T=0 and H=1. Construct the probability
distribution of the random variable X and its histogram.

Outcome Value(X) X P(X) The Histogram

Total
The Probability Distribution of X

2. Write PD if the given values can be for a probability distribution and N if cannot. Explain your
answer.

a. X 0 1 2 C. X 2 3 4

P(X) 0.5 0.2 0.3 P(X) 1/4 1/2 1/4

b. P(0)=0.13, P(1)=0.50, P(2)=0.47 d. P(1)=1.05, P(2)=0.25, P(3)=0. 10

3. What are the two properties of a probability distribution?

 Activity Sheet No. 4: The Mean and Variance of a Discrete Probability Distribution
Content Standard: The learner demonstrates understanding of key concepts of random variables and probability
distributions.
Performance Standard: The learner is able to apply an appropriate random variable for a given real-life problem
(such as in decision making and games of chance).
Learning Competencies:
1. Illustrates the mean and variance of a discrete random variable. M11/12SP-IIIb-1
2. Calculates the mean and variance of a discrete random variable.M11/12SP-IIIb-2
3. Interprets the mean and variance of a discrete random variable.M11/12SP-IIIb-3
Definition:
Mean of a Discrete Probability Distribution (𝝁) – is the central value or the average of the data in a
discrete probability distribution. This tells what would likely to happen in an experiment as it
continues. This is also called the Expected Value (denoted by 𝐸(𝑋)) of the random variable X.

Variance of a Discrete Probability Distribution (𝝈𝟐 ) – describe the amount of spread, dispersion, or
variability of the items in a distribution. In other words, it measures how far a set of numbers is
spread out from the mean.
Standard deviation (𝝈) – another measure of variability. It is the square root of the variance.
Steps in Computing the Mean of a Discrete Probability Distribution
1. Construct the probability distribution for the random variable X.
2. Multiply the values of the random variable X by their corresponding probability P(X).
3. Add the products obtained in step 2.
These steps are summarized in this formula: 𝜇 = ∑[𝑋 ∙ 𝑃(𝑋)]

Steps in Computing the Variance of a Discrete Probability Distribution

1. Find the mean of the probability distribution.
2. Subtract the mean from each value of the random variable X.
3. Square the results obtained in step 2.
4. Multiply the results obtained in step 3 by the corresponding probability (P(X)).
5. Add the results obtained in step 4.
𝝈𝟐 = ∑[(𝑋 − 𝜇)2 ∙ 𝑃(𝑋)]
These steps are summarized in this formula:
In computing the standard deviation of the probability distribution simply extract the square root of the
variance or you can use the formula: Use the first formula if
𝜎 = √𝜎 2
variance is available. If not,
2
𝜎 = √∑[(𝑋 − 𝜇) ∙ 𝑃(𝑋)] use the second.

Symbols: ∑ denotes sum ∙ denotes multiplication 𝝈𝟐 denotes variance 𝝁 denotes mean

𝝈 denotes standard P(X) denotes the X denotes the value of
variation probability of X the random variable
Example: Let X be the number of heads in tossing 3 coins. Compute the mean, variance, and the standard
deviation of the probability distribution of X and interpret the result.
Solution: (Follow the steps stated on the previous page).
X P(X) 𝑿 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿) 𝑿−𝝁 (𝑿 − 𝝁)𝟐 (𝑿 − 𝝁)𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
No. of Heads Probability of the No. column 1 x column 2 Subtract column 3 Square column 4. Column 5 x column 2
of Heads by mean.

0 0.125 0 -1.5 2.25 0.28125

1 0.375 0.375 -0.5 0.25 0.09375
2 0.375 0.750 0.5 0.25 0.09375
3 0.125 0.375 1.5 2.25 0.28125
Total 𝜇 = 1.5 𝜎 2 = 0.75

To find the standard deviation, extract the square root of the variance. 𝜎 = √𝜎 2 = √0.75 = 0.87
Interpretation: The mean of the discrete random variable X denoted by µ = 1.5 implies that tossing 3 coins
many times, the average number of heads that would likely to appear is 1.5. This is the expected or the central
value of the distribution of the values of the random variable X.

The variance 𝜎 2 = 0.75 means that the values of X deviate from the mean of 1.5 by an average amount
squared equal to 0.75. The standard deviation 𝜎 = 0.87 indicates that on average, the values of X deviate from
the mean of 1.5 by about 0.87 heads.
Performance Task:
The table below shows the probability distribution of the number of boxes of pandesal that a bakeshop
delivered in a day. Find the mean, variance, and standard deviation of the given probability distribution and
interpret the result.

Number of P(X)
Boxes (X)
35 0.10

36 0.20

37 0.30

38 0.30

39 0.10