ADAPTIVE TEACHING GUIDE

Learning MET # 1 Random Variable Remarks

Competencies
Lesson # 1: Random Variable
& Learning
Targets Lesson # 2: Probability Distribution

Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Probabilty

Prerequisite Skill: Identifying situations in life which can be examples of

Statistics and Probability

Introduction:

1. TIME ALLOTMENT:
2. TEACHER’S CONTACT INFO:
3. RUA (Objectives):

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

R U A

Illustrates, distinguishes a Solves and calculate the Expected Product:

random variable (discrete mean, variance and
and continuous) standard deviation Construct a probability
distribution and compute
the mean, variance and
standard deviation

4. Context where the student is going to apply his/her learning (in

what PAA/ EFAA and personal use?)
Understand and identify random variables in real-life scenarios such as
games, surveys, and experiments. Distinguish between discrete and
continuous data in academic research, statistics, and daily decision-
making. Apply probability distribution to make predictions, assess risks, and
interpret data in personal and practical contexts such as weather
forecasting, quality control, and budgeting.

5. Overview of the Lesson:

This introduces Random Variables and Probability Distributions, key
concepts in understanding data and uncertainty. Students will learn the
difference between discrete and continuous random variables, and how to
represent them using probability distributions. The lesson will also cover
probability mass functions (PMF) and probability density functions (PDF).
By the end, students will be able to classify types of random variables,
construct simple probability distributions, and apply these concepts in real-
world situations involving chance and uncertainty.

Student’s Experiential Learning:

 Chunk 1. RANDOM VARIABLE
LC: Formative question:
1. What is a random variable? Give one real-life example.
2. How do you differentiate between a discrete and a continuous
random variable?
3. Is height a discrete or continuous random variable? Explain why.

Situation: Imagine, you have a one loaf bread in your hand. And then, you
put a Cheese wiz on one side of that bread. As you spreading the Cheese
wiz to your bread, you remember your friend’s joke 3 years ago.
Accidentally, you drop the bread from your hand. What will be the side of
the bread that will fall on the floor? Will it land on the side with the Cheese
wiz, or will it fall on the side without it? Why you say so?

The word "random” is used often in everyday life. For example, you may
hear someone say "We randomly decided to go out for dinner last night.”
But is this really a random event? No, this is a conscious decision that was
made on the basis of other variables such as hunger and the lack of
satisfaction with other options such as cooking one's own dinner.
In statistics, the word random has a different meaning. Something is
random when it varies by chance. For example, when rolling a six sided
die, there are six equally possible outcomes, the observed outcome on any
one roll is random. The variation of a random event such as rolling a die
can be described by the probability distributions that we will see in this
lesson.

A random variable is a numerical quantity that is generated by a random

experiment.

Four examples of Random Variables

Experiment Number X Possible Values of

X
Sum of the number
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
Roll two fair dice of dots
10, 11, 12
on the top faces
Number of tosses
Flip a fair coin repeatedly until the 1, 2, 3,4
coin lands heads
Measure the voltage at an
Voltage measured 118 ≤ X ≤ 122
electrical outlet
Time until the bulb
Operate a light bulb until it
burns 0≤x<∞
burns out
out

Definition:
1. A random variable is called discrete if it has either a finite or a countable
number of possible values.
2. A random variable is called continuous if its possible values contain a
whole interval of numbers.

Example:
Discrete Random Variables:
  Number of heads in 4 flips of a coin (possible outcomes are 0,
1,2,3,4)
 Number of classes missed last week (possible outcomes are 0, 1, 2,
3, …, up to the maximum number of classes)
 Amount won or lost when betting P20 on the Philippine lottery
Continuous Random Variables:
 Heights of individuals.
 Time to finish a test.
 Hours spent exercising last week 3.

Chunk 2. MEAN OF A DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE

Formative question:
1. What does the mean of a discrete random variable represent?
2. How do you calculate the mean of a discrete random variable given its
probability distribution?

Exploring.
 How do you make decisions?
 When do you make decisions?
 What are the factors that affects these (your) decision?

When you wake up in the morning, you may think of getting out of your bed
early or staying a little bit longer in bed. Sometimes, you are thinking if you
will take a bath or just a half bath. Also, you are thinking if you will eat
breakfast at home or will eat breakfast at school. In each of these simple
actions you make, there is a corresponding consequence. However, you
are uncertain of its consequences. You can only predict possible outcomes.
After that, you were left with thoughts on what will happen if you do that or
this. The last thing is you realize that it was already resulted either in
favorable outcomes or not.

A probability distribution of a discrete random variable is a list of

each possible value of X and the corresponding probabilities of the
values.

A probability distribution has two requirements:

1. Each probability P(x) must be between or equal to 0 and 1; that is 0
≤ P(x) ≤ 1.
2. The sum of all the probabilities is 1.

Mean of a Discrete Random Variable

The mean of a discrete random variable X is the average value of X
over numerous trials of an experiment. It is computed using the formula μ =
Σ [x▪P(x)]. It is also called the expected value of X

Example 1: Find the mean of the discrete random variable X whose

probability distribution is

x -1 0 1 4
 P(x) 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.1
Solution:
Applying the formula, it gives
μ = Σ [x ▪ P(x)]
μ = (-1)(0.2)+(0)(0.5)+(1)(0.2)+(4)(0.1)
μ = -0.2 + 0 + 0.2 + 0.4
μ = 0.4

Chunk 3. Variability of a Discrete Random Variable

Formative question:
1. What does the variability (or variance) of a discrete random variable tell
us about the data?
2. How do you compute the variance of a discrete random variable?

From the previous example, we compute for the mean of the discrete
random variable which is 0.4

The equation for computing the variance of a discrete random variable is

shown below:
σ2 = Σ (x – μ)2 ▪ P(x) which can be simplified σ2 = [Σ x2 ▪ P(x)] – μ2

The standard deviation, σ, of a random discrete variable X is the square

root of its variance, hence he formula is:

σ= √ Σ(x – μ)2 ▪ P(x )

σ = √ [ Σ x 2 ▪ P( x )]– μ2

The variance and standard deviation of a discrete random variable X may

be interpreted as measures of variability of the values assumed by the
random variable in repeated trials of the experiment. The units on the
standard deviation match those of X.

Example 2: Given below is the probability distribution of a discrete random

variable X. Compute the mean, variance and standard deviation of the
following.

x P(x) x ▪ P(x) x2 ▪ P(x)

- 0.2 -0.2 (-1)2 ▪ 0.2 = 1 ▪ 0.2=
1 0.2
0 0.5 0 (0)2 ▪ 0.5 = 0 ▪ 0.5 = 0
1 0.2 0.2 (1)2 ▪ 0.2 = 1 ▪ 0.2 = σ=
0.2 √[ Σ x 2
▪ P( x )]– μ2
4 0.1 0.4 (4)2 ▪ 0.1 = 16 ▪ 0.1 = σ = √ 1.84
1.6 σ = 1.356465997
σ = [Σ x ▪ P(x)] – μ2
2 2
σ = 1.36
μ = Σ [x ▪ P(x)]
σ2 = (0.2+0+0.2+1.6) Standard deviation
μ = -0.2 + 0 +
– (0.4)2
0.2 + 0.4 2
σ = 2.0 – 0.16
μ = 0.4
σ2 = 1.84
Mean
Variance
Chunk 4. SOLVES PROBLEMS INVOLVING MEAN AND VARIANCE OF
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS
Formative question: How to compute mean and variance of probability
distribution

Example 1: Suppose three cell phones are tested at random. Let D

represent the defective cell phone and let N represent the non-defective
cell phone. If we let X be the random variable for the number of defective
cell phones, construct the probability distribution of the random variable X.

WW1. Construct a probability distribution for the data and draw a histogram
of the distribution. The probabilities that a surgeon operates on 3, 4, 5, 6, or
7 patients in any day are 0.15, 0.10, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30, respectively.

PC1. Construct a probability distribution and compute the mean, variance

and standard deviation.

x P(x) x ▪ P(x) x2 ▪ P(x) Standard

2 0.50 deviation
3 0.33
6 0.17
Mean Variance

SYNTHESIS:

Understanding random variables and their probability distributions is

essential in analyzing uncertain events and interpreting data. Random
variables serve as a bridge between real-world situations and mathematical
analysis, allowing us to assign numerical values to outcomes. By
distinguishing between discrete and continuous variables, students learn to
classify data types and use appropriate tools for analysis. Probability
distributions, through PMFs and PDFs, provide a structured way to predict
the likelihood of outcomes. Mastering these concepts enables students to
make informed decisions, analyze patterns, and solve problems in various
contexts—from academic research to everyday life.

RUA of a Student’s Learning:

The student demonstrates a solid understanding of random variables and
probability distributions, recognizing the difference between discrete and
continuous random variables. They comprehend how probability
distributions represent the likelihood of various outcomes and can calculate
expected values, variances, and standard deviations. The student applies
these concepts to real-world scenarios, such as analyzing the likelihood of
events, interpreting test score distributions, and solving problems involving
discrete and continuous data. By mastering these concepts, the student is
able to use probability to make informed decisions in both academic and
everyday situations, demonstrating a deeper understanding of how
randomness and uncertainty influence outcomes.
Post-lesson Remediation Activity:
Will depend on the assessment