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Introduction
5-1 Probability Distribution
5-2 Mean, Variance, Standard
Deviation, and Expectation
5-3 The Binomial Distribution
5-4 The Poisson Distribution

Review about some definitions:

Construct a probability distribution for a
random variable.
Find the mean, variance, standard Variable
deviation, and expected value for a - A characteristic or attribute that can assume
discrete random variable. different values.
Find the exact probability for X successes Random Variable
in n trials of a binomial experiment. - A variable whose values are determined by
Find the mean, variance, and standard chance.
deviation for the variable of a binomial
distribution.

Variables Examples of Discrete Variables:

Number
Continuous of calls
Discrete
- Assumes only - Assumes all values in
specific numbers of the interval between
any two values. Outcomes Number of
values (Integers)
students
- Values that can be - Values that can be of dice rolling
counted. measured.

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Examples of Continuous Variables: Discrete Probability Distribution

A distribution that consists of the values a
random variable can assume and the
Temperature corresponding probabilities of the values.

The probabilities are determined

theoretically or observation
Weight
Time

Example 1: Tossing 2 coins and the following tree

diagram shows the possible outcomes. If we define X the random variable is to be the
number of heads (H) turn up, then X can assumes
the values of 0, 1, and 2.

* since from the tree diagram, there can be no heads

turn up, 1 head turn up or both 2 heads turn up from
2 coins tossing.

By calculating the probabilities of each of

the outcomes, we can construct the 0.5
Experiment of tossing 2 coins

probability distribution.
0.4

0.3

P(X)
0.2

0.1

0
0 1 2
Number of Heads turn up, X

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Requirements for a Probability Distribution

Example 2: Construct a probability distribution
for rolling a single die. 1. The sum of the probabilities of all the
events in the sample space must equals to 1,
that is,
Each of the number on the die are equally likely
to occur. Let X be the number shows on the die,
hence the probability distribution:
2. The probability of each event in the sample
space must be between or equals to 0 and 1,
that is :

The mean of a random variable with a discrete Example 1: Find the mean of the number of spots
probability distribution is: that appear when a die is tossed.
X1 P X1 X 2 P X 2 X 3 P X 3 X n P X n
Let X be the number on the die.
X P X

where:
X 1 2 3 4 5 6
X 1 , X 2 , X 3 , X n are the outcomes P(X)
P X 1 , P X 2 , P X 3 ,, P X n are the corresponding
probabilities 1
X P X

Example 2: In a family with two children, find the

X P X mean the number of children who will be girls.
Mean,

1st child 2nd child Outcomes

Hence, the theoretical mean is ______ .

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If we let X be the number of girls in a family,

the probability distribution: Mean, X P X

Hence, the theoretical mean of the number

of girls in a family is ____.

Thevariance of a probability distribution can

Exercise be found by multiplying the square of each
The probability distribution below shown outcome by its corresponding probability,
represents the number of trips of five nights summing those products, and subtracting the
or more that American adults take per year. square of the mean.

2 X 2 P X 2
Find the mean.
X 0 1 2 3 4
The standard deviation is:
P(X) 0.06 0.70 0.20 0.03 0.01

Answer: 1.23
2 or X 2

P X 2

Let X be the number on the ball that selected.

Example 1: Five balls numbered 0, 2, 4, 6, and
8 are placed in a bag. After the balls are mixed,
one is selected and the number is noted, the
ball is then replaced. If the experiment is
repeated infinitely many times, find the
variance and standard deviation.

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Mean, X P X Exercise
The following probability distribution shows
X, the number of customers of a day in
Sunrise Coffee Shop. Find the mean,
Variance, 2 X 2
P X 2
variance, and standard deviation of the
distribution.
X 40 41 42 43 44
P(X) 0.10 0.20 0.37 0.21 0.12
Standard deviation, 2

LetX be the number of customers of a day in Mean, X P X

Sunrise Coffee Shop.

Variance, 2 X 2
P X 2

Standard deviation, 2

The expectation, or expected value of a Example 1: One thousand tickets are sold at
discrete random variable of a probability RM1 each for a colour television valued at
distribution is the theoretical average of the RM350. What is the expected gain if a person
variable. purchase one ticket?
E X X P X
Let X be the gain:

The symbol E(X) is used for the expected

value.
Expected value is used in various types of
games of chance (lottery, gambling), and in
insurance.

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The expected value, Example 2: One thousand tickets are sold at

EX X P X RM 1 each for four prizes of RM 100, RM 50,
RM 25, and RM 10. What is the expected
value if a person purchases one ticket?

Let X be the gain:

Theoretically, if a person keep on

purchasing one ticket, the average loss
would be ____________.

The expected value, Exercise

E X X P X A lottery offers one RM 1000 prize, one RM
500 prize, and five RM 100 prizes. One
tickets are sold at RM 3 each. Find the
expectation if a person purchases one ticket.
Assume total ticket is 1000.

The expected value, Let X be a discrete random variable with

E X X P X probability distribution f(x). The mean or
expected value of the random variable g(x) is

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Example: Suppose that the number of cars X that

pass through a car wash between 4:00P.M. and
5:00P.M. on any sunny Friday has the following
probability:
4 5 6 7 8 9

Let g(X) = 2X 1 represent the amount of money in

dollars, paid to the attendant by the manager. Find
the attendants expected earnings for this particular
time period.

Solution

x , x 1,2,3,4and 5
p( x) 15

0, otherwise

Find E(X-6)

1 2 3 4 5

Linear Combination Given g(y)=-5y+5, E(Y)=2 and V(Y)=1

1. E(aX+b)=aE(X)+b, a&b are constants where
E(aX)=aE(X) and E(b)=b
Find the expected value and variance
2. V(ax+b) = a2V(x) where V(aX)= a2V(x) and of g(y)
V(b)=0

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E(X)=5, E(Y)=10 Objectives

V(X)=12, V(Y)=15 Find the exact probability for X
Find
successes in n trials of a binomial
a. E(3X+5Y)
experiment.
b. E(-2X-3Y)
c. V(X+4Y)
d. V(2X-2Y) Find the mean, variance, and
standard deviation for the variable
of a binomial distribution.

A Binomial Experiment is a probability

experiment that satisfies the following four 3. The outcomes of each trial must be
(4) requirements: independent of one another

1. There must be a fixed number of trials. 4. The probability of a success must remain the
same for each trial.
2. Each
trial can have only two (2) outcomes,
or outcomes that can be reduced to two The outcomes of a binomial experiment and
outcomes. Those outcomes can be the corresponding probabilities of these
considered as success or failure. outcomes are called BINOMIAL DISTRIBUTION.

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Notations used for the Binomial Distribution: The probability of exactly X successes in n
trials of a binomial experiment
PS p The probability of success
P X r nCr p r q nr P X r
n!
PF q 1 p The probability of failure or p r q nr
r!n r !
n The number of trials
X The number of successes in
n!
n trials where nCr
r!n r !
*Note that 0 X n , that is, X 0,1,2,3,, n

n!
How to calculate nCr using calculator ??
Methods to calculate Binomial Probability: r!n r !
1) Using Binomial Distribution Table Step 1: Input the number of trials, n
2) Using Scientific Calculator. Step 2: Press SHIFT + to get C
Step 3: Input the number of success, X

Example: 3 successes of 8 trials

8C3 = 56
*This is applicable to calculator model fx-570.

Some mathematical signs that you must know in Example 1: If a student randomly guess on 5
Binomial distribution: multiple-choice questions, and each question
has 4 possible answers, find the probability
less than / lower than that the student gets exactly 3 corrects.

at most / maximum
exactly / equals
at least / minimum
more than / greater than / exceeds

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Solution: Example 2: A survey from Teenage Research

Unlimited found that 30% of the teenage
consumers received their spending money
from part time job. If eight teenagers are
selected, find the probability that at least 6
teenage consumers have part time job.

Solution: Example 3: Public Opinion reported that 5%

of Malaysians are afraid of being alone in a
house at night. If a random sample of 20
Malaysians is selected, find the probability
that:

a) Exactly 5 people are afraid of being alone at

night.
b) At most 3 people are afraid of being alone at
night.
c) At least 2 people are afraid of being alone at
night.

Solution for (a): Solution for (b):

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Solution for (c): Exercise:

If 90% of all people between the ages of 30
to 50 drives a car, find the probability that in
a sample of 20 people:

a) Exactly 19 drives a car.

b) At least 18 drives a car.
c) At most 17 drives a car.

Solution for (a): Solution for (b):

Solution for (c): Given that a Binomial experiment, where you

can find the success, p and failure, q, also
the number of trials, n. Then,

Mean, n p

Variance, 2 n pq
Standard Deviation, n pq

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Example 1: A coin is tossed 4 times, find the Solution:

mean, variance, and standard deviation of
the number of heads turn up. Mean, n p

Variance, 2 n pq

Standard Deviation, n pq

Example 2: An Insurance Company reported Solution:

that 2% of all Malaysians births result in
twins. If a random sample of 8000 births is Mean, n p
taken, find the mean, variance, and standard
deviation of the number of births that would
result in twins. Variance, 2 n pq

Standard Deviation, n pq

Exercise: Solution:
If 80% of the applicants are able to pass a
drivers proficiency road test, find the mean, Mean, n p
variance, and standard deviation of the
number of people who pass this test if a
sample of 400 applicants is selected at
Variance, 2 n pq
random.
Standard Deviation, n pq

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