Lesson 3.

3
Finding the Mean and the
Variance of a Discrete Probability
Distribution
Recall:
Find the MEAN, VARIANCE, and
STANDARD DEVIATION of a
Frequency Distribution
A. The MEAN
σ 𝐟𝐗
Formula: ഥ=
𝐗
𝐍

Where X
ഥ = mean
f = frequency
N = total frequency
Complete the table 3.1.
Compute the mean by using the formula given.

Table 3.1 Ages of Grade 11 Mathematics Teachers

X f fX
21 2
25 4
36 6
43 2
50 1
1. What is the value of N?
2. What is the value of σ 𝑓𝑋?
3. What is the value of the mean X
ഥ?
B. The VARIANCE
𝐍 σ 𝐟𝐗 𝟐 −(σ 𝐟𝐗)𝟐
Formula: 𝟐
𝛔 =
𝐍(𝐍−𝟏)
and
the STANDARD DEVIATION

𝐍 σ 𝐟𝐗 𝟐 −(σ 𝐟𝐗)𝟐
Formula: 𝝈=
𝐍(𝐍−𝟏)
Where N = Total frequency
f = frequency
X = score
Compute the variance and the standard
deviation of the following distribution.

X f fX 𝒇𝑿 𝟐

21 2
25 4
36 6
43 2
50 1
The MEAN of a Discrete Probability
Distribution
Mean
- expected value
Formula: 𝜇 = 𝐸 𝑋 = σ 𝑋 ⋅ 𝑃(𝑋)

Symbol: 𝝁 = 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏
E(X) = expected value
P(X) = probability value of the
random variable
Example 1
Find the mean of the discrete random variable X
with the following probability distribution.
X P(X)
3 𝟏
𝟖
2 𝟑
𝟖
1 𝟑
𝟖
0 𝟏
𝟖
Steps:
1. Multiply the value of X by its
corresponding probability value P(X).
To get the X⋅ 𝑷 𝑿

2. Find the mean or the expected value

of the probability distribution by
getting the sum of values under the
column X⋅ 𝑷(𝑿)
Example 2
Find the mean or the expected value of the
probability distribution shown below.
X P(X)
2 0.042
3 0.010
4 0.021
5 0.375
6 0.188
7 0.344
8 0.021
The VARIANCE and the STANDARD
DEVIATION of a Discrete
Probability Distribution
The VARIANCE
Formula: 𝝈𝟐 = σ 𝑿𝟐 ⋅ 𝑷(𝑿) − 𝝁𝟐

The STANDARD DEVIATION

Formula: 𝛔= σ 𝐗 𝟐 ⋅ 𝐏(𝐗) − 𝛍𝟐
Where 𝝁 = 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛
X = value of the random
variable
P(X) = the probability value of
the random variable
𝟐
𝝈 = 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝝈 = 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Steps:
1. Find the mean of the probability
distribution. Prepare a table.
2. Square each value of the random
variable and multiply by the
corresponding probability value
𝑿𝟐 ⋅ 𝑷(𝑿) .
Steps:
3. Find the variance and the standard
deviation.
Example 3
Find the variance and the standard
deviation of the discrete random variable
X with following probability distribution.
X P(X)

2 𝟏
𝟒
1 𝟏
𝟐
0 𝟏
𝟒
Example 4
R P( R) R∙P( R) 𝐑𝟐 𝐑𝟐 ∙P(R )
2 𝟑
𝟏𝟎
3 𝟐
𝟓
4 𝟏
𝟓
5 𝟏
𝟏𝟎
Problem solving.
Find the mean, the variance, and
standard deviation of the following
probability distributions.
The following data show that probability
distribution of the number of computers sold
daily in a computer shop during past several
months.
Number of Computers X Probability P(X)
0 0.10
1 0.20
2 0.45
3 0.15
4 0.05
5 0.05
Questions:
1. What is the probability that on a
given day-
a. Fewer than three computers will be
sold?
b. At most, two computers will be sold?
c. At least, four computers will be sold?
d. Exactly three computers will be sold?
2. What is the mean of the problem?
3. What is the variance of the
problem?
4. What is the standard deviation of
the problem?
Assignment#__
Find the mean, variance, and
standard deviation of the following
probability distributions.
Complete the table.
H P(H) H⋅ 𝑷(𝑯) 𝑯𝟐 𝑯𝟐 ⋅ 𝑷(𝑯)

0 0.06
1 0.70
2 0.20
3 0.03
4 0.01