Lesson 4:

Mean and Variance of

Discrete Random Variable
Grade 11 – Statistics & Probability
 Objectives

• In Lesson, you are expected to accomplish the following;

1. Illustrate mean and variance of a discrete random

variable; and
2. Calculate the mean and variance of a discrete random
variable.
 Introduction
In the last lesson, you have learned how to construct the probability
distribution of a discrete random variable. Let us recall the steps in
constructing the probability distribution of a discrete random variable.
Steps on getting the probability of each the value of the random variable;

1. Determine the sample space. Assign letters that will represent

each outcome.
2. Count the number of the value of the random variable
3. Given the total possible values of the random variable, assign
probability values to each value of the random variable.
 MEAN
• is a measure of central tendency that balances the distribution. It is also known as average. From
your Junior High Lesson in Math, you have learned that mean or average is equal to the sum of the
numbers/scores divided by the total number of scores.
• The mean of a Discrete Random Variable Is the sum of the products of the values of the discrete
random variable and their corresponding probabilities. It is also called the Expected Value of an
event. In symbols:
 MEAN
• is a measure of central tendency that balances the distribution. It is also known as average. From
your Junior High Lesson in Math, you have learned that mean or average is equal to the sum of the
numbers/scores divided by the total number of scores.
• The mean of a Discrete Random Variable Is the sum of the products of the values of the discrete
random variable and their corresponding probabilities. It is also called the Expected Value of an
event. In symbols:
 MEAN
• is a measure of central tendency that balances the distribution. It is also known as average. From
your Junior High Lesson in Math, you have learned that mean or average is equal to the sum of the
numbers/scores divided by the total number of scores.
• The mean of a Discrete Random Variable Is the sum of the products of the values of the discrete
random variable and their corresponding probabilities. It is also called the Expected Value of an
event. In symbols:
 EXAMPLE 1
Three persons underwent a swab for the COVID-19 test. Construct the
probability distribution of the discrete random variable, a number of
positive results, then find the mean, variance, and standard deviation.
Let Z represents the random variable number of positive results.
 EXAMPLE 1
Three persons underwent a swab for the COVID-19 test. Construct the probability distribution of the discrete random variable,
a number of positive results, then find the mean, variance, and standard deviation. Let Z represents the random variable
number of positive results.

To find the mean of a discrete random variable:

Step 1. Construct the probability distribution of the given discrete random variable

Z-Number of Positive Probability of Z

Results P(Z)
0 1/8
1 3/8
2 3/8
3 1/8
 EXAMPLE 1
Three persons underwent a swab for the COVID-19 test. Construct the probability distribution of the discrete random variable,
a number of positive results, then find the mean, variance, and standard deviation. Let Z represents the random variable
number of positive results.

To find the mean of a discrete random variable:

Step 2. Multiply the value of the random variable to its corresponding probability.

Z-Number of Probability of Z Z • P(Z)

Positive
0 1/8 0
1 3/8 3/8
2 3/8 6/8
3 1/8 3/8
 EXAMPLE 1
Three persons underwent a swab for the COVID-19 test. Construct the probability distribution of the discrete random variable, a
number of positive results, then find the mean, variance, and standard deviation. Let Z represents the random variable number of
positive results.

To find the mean of a discrete random variable:

Step 3. Find the summation of the products of the values of the random
variable and the probabilities

Z-Number of Probability of Z Z • P(Z)

Positive
0 1/8 0
1 3/8 3/8
2 3/8 6/8
3 1/8 3/8
 EXAMPLE 1
Three persons underwent a swab for the COVID-19 test. Construct the
probability distribution of the discrete random variable, a number of
positive results, then find the mean, variance, and standard deviation.
Let Z represents the random variable number of positive results.

∑ [𝑍 • 𝑃(𝑍)] = 1/8 = 𝟏.5

The mean number of positive results from the three people who
underwent a COVID-19 test is 1.5.
 Variance and Standard Deviation of a Discrete Random
Variable
Variance and Standard Deviation are measures of dispersion that tell us how spread the scores are
from the mean and from each other.
 Variance is the average squared deviation from the meanwhile
 Standard Deviation is the average deviation from the mean.
A small variance and standard deviation indicate that the scores are close to the mean and from
each other, while a large value tells us how spread the scores are from the mean. A variance and
standard deviation of 0 means that all the scores in the data set are equal.
The variance of a discrete random variable is the difference between the summation of the products
of the squared value of the random variable and its corresponding probability and the square of the
mean. In symbols;

= ∑[ • 𝑷(𝑿)] −
Variance and Standard Deviation of a Discrete Random
Variable

= ∑[ • 𝑷(𝑿)] −
= is the variance
X = the value of discrete random
variable
P(x) = is the probability of the
discrete random variable
𝛍² = is the mean
The Standard Deviation of a discrete random variable is the square
root of the difference between the summation of the products of the
squared value of the random variable and its corresponding
probability and the square of the mean. In symbols,
where:
𝝈 −is the standard deviation
X – is the value of the discrete
random variable
P(X) - is the probability of the
discrete random variable
𝝁 − is the mean
 To find the variance and standard deviation
Step 1: Find the mean

Z-Number of Positive Probability of Z Z • P(Z)

0 1/8 0
1 3/8 3/8
2 3/8 6/8
3 1/8 3/8
Step 2. Square each value of the random variable.

Z-Number of Probability of Z • P(Z)

Positive Z
0 1/8 0 0
1 3/8 3/8 1
2 3/8 6/8 4
3 1/8 3/8 9
Step 3. Get the product of the squared value of the
random variable and its corresponding probability
then get the sum of the products.

Z-Number Probability Z • P(Z)

of Positive of Z
0 1/8 0 0 0
1 3/8 3/8 1 3/8
2 3/8 6/8 4 12/8
3 1/8 3/8 9 9/8

∑ [ • 𝑃(𝑍)] = = 3
Step 4. Apply the formula in finding the variance:

Σ²= ∑[x² • 𝑷(𝑿)] − μ²

Σ²=3 - (1.5)²
Σ²=3 - 2.25
Σ²=0.75
Step 5. Find the standard deviation by getting the square root
of the variance.

σ ▢= √(∑[x² • P(X)] – μ² )

σ ▢ = √0.75

σ ▢ = 0.87
Task 2:Direction:Find the mean of a Number of Income
discrete random variable. Days
Day 1 2800
A Grab driver wants to know his
expected income in the past 10 days. Day 2 3000
He opened his driver application and Day 3 3560
check the history of his completed Day 4 2790
jobs and income for the past 10 days.
The table below is the list of his Day 4 2500
income in the past 10 days. Construct Day 6 3700
the probability distribution of the Day 7 3700
driver’s income in the past 10 days
(X) then find his expected income. Day 8 3480
Find also the variance and standard Day 9 2500
deviation
Day 10 3000