Computing The Variance of A Discrete Probability Distribution Autosaved

The number of COVID-19 patients seen in the ER in any
given hour is a random variable represented by X. The

probability distribution for X is presented below:
1. Find the probability that in a given hour:
a. exactly 17 patients arrive;
b. at least 16 patients arrive,
c. at most 18 patients arrive.
2. What is the average number of COVID-19 patients who arrived in the
ER in an hour? 3. Illustrate the mean and standard deviation of the data
gathered.
1. Find the probability that in a given hour:
a. exactly 17 patients arrive; 𝑃(𝑋 = 17) = 0.20
b. at least 16 patients arrive, 𝑃(𝑋 ≥ 16) = 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.1 + 0.1) = 0.6
c. at most 18 patients arrive. 𝑃(𝑋 ≤ 18) = 0.4 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.1) = 0.9
2. What is the average number of COVID-19 patients who arrived in the
ER in an hour? 𝜇 = 17
3. Illustrate the mean and standard deviation of the data gathered.
Computing the
Variance of a Discrete
Probability Distribution
Variance and Standard Deviation
The variance is the most important measure of spread
and the standard deviation is a closely related measure
of variability.
The Variance of a Discrete Random Variable X, denoted
by 𝝈𝟐 is computed by first subtracting the mean from
each possible x value to obtain the deviations, then
squaring each deviation and multiplying the result by
the probability of the corresponding x value, and then
finally adding these quantities.
The Standard Deviation of x, denoted by 𝝈, is the square
root of the variance.
What does the variance of a
probability tell us?
The variance of a random variable
shows the variability or the
scatterings of the random variables.
It shows the distance of a random
variable from its mean.
What does the standard
deviation of a probability tell us?
The standard deviation of a probability
distribution is the degree of dispersion
or the scatter of the probability
distribution relative to its mean. It is the
measure of the variation in the
probability distribution from the mean.
Steps in Finding the Variance and
Standard Deviation
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.
5.Get the sum of the results obtained in Step 4.
Example: Surgery Patients
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. Find the
average number of patients that a
surgeon operates on a day.
Number of Spots X Probability P(X) X ∙P(X)
3 0.15 0.45
4 0.10 0.40
5 0.20 1.00
6 0.25 1.50
7 0.30 2.10
෍ 𝑋 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 𝟓. 𝟒𝟓
X P(X) X ∙P(X) X-𝝁 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
3 0.15 0.45
4 0.10 0.40
5 0.20 1.00
6 0.25 1.50
7 0.30 2.10
෍ 𝑋 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 𝟓. 𝟒𝟓
X P(X) X ∙P(X) X-𝝁 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
3 0.15 0.45 -2.45 6.0025 0.900375
4 0.10 0.40 -1.45 2.1025 0.21025
5 0.20 1.00 -0.45 0.2025 0.0405
6 0.25 1.50 0.55 0.3025 0.075625
7 0.30 2.10 1.55 2.4025 0.72075
𝝁 = ෍ 𝑋 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 𝟓. 𝟒𝟓 𝜎2 = ෍ 𝑋 − 𝜇 2 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 𝟏. 𝟗𝟓
𝜎= 𝑋−𝜇 2 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 1.9475 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟗𝟓𝟓 𝒐𝒓 𝟏. 𝟒𝟎

But how do you interpret variance once you
figure it out?
The variance measures the average degree to
which each number is different from the mean. The
extent of the variance correlates to the size of the
overall range of numbers, which means the variance
is greater when there is a wider range of numbers in
the group, and the variance is less when there is a
narrower range of numbers.
But how do you interpret standard deviation
once you figure it out?
If the points are further from the mean,

there is a higher deviation within the data.
But if they are closer to the mean, there is
a lower deviation. So the more spread out
the group of numbers is, the higher the
standard deviation.
Example 2: Below is the number of cars sold per day
at a local dealership, along with its corresponding
probabilities, compute the variance and the
standard deviation.
Number of Cars Probability P(X)
0 1
10
1 2
10
2 3
10
3 2
10
4 2
10
X P(X) X∙ 𝑷(𝑿) X - 𝝁 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
0 1
10
1 2
10
2 3
10
3 2
10
4 2
10
X P(X) X∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
0 1 0
10
1 2 2
10 10
2 3 6
10 10
3 2 6
10 10
4 2 8
10 10
22
𝜇 = ෍𝑋 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = = 2.2
10
X P(X) X∙ 𝑷(𝑿) X-𝝁 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐
𝑿 − 𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
0 1 0 -2.2 4.84 0.484
10
1 2 2 -1.2 1.44 0.288
10 10
2 3 6 -0.2 0.04 0.012
10 10
3 2 6 0.8 0.64 0.128
10 10
4 2 8 1.8 3.24 0.648
10 10
𝜎2 = ෍ 𝑋 − 𝜇 2 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟔
𝜎= 𝑋−𝜇 2 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 1.56 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟓
Formula for the Variance and Standard
Deviation of a Discrete Probability
Distribution
The variance of a discrete probability distribution is given by the formula:
𝝈𝟐 = ෍ 𝑿 − 𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
The standard deviation of a discrete probability distribution is given by the

formula:
𝝈= ෍ 𝑿−𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
where:
X = value of the random variable
P(X) = probability of the random variable X
𝜇= mean of the probability distribution
Example 3: Below is the probability distribution for
the random variable X representing the number of
heads that occur when three coins are tossed,
compute the variance and the standard deviation.
Number of Cars Probability P(X)
0 1
8
1 3
8
2 3
8
3 1
8
𝑿−𝝁 𝟐
∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
0 1
8
1 3
8
2 3
8
3 1
8
𝑿 − 𝝁 𝟐 ∙ 𝑷(𝑿)
0 1 0 -1.5 2.25 0.28125
8
1 3 3 -0.5 0.25 0.09375
8 8
2 3 6 0.5 0.25 0.09375
8 8
3 1 3 1.5 2.25 0.28125
8 8
12
𝛍 = ෍𝑋 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = = 1.5
8 𝜎2 = ෍ 𝑋 − 𝜇 2
∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟓
𝜎= 𝑋−𝜇 2 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 1.56 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟕
Your Turn!
Worksheet #4: Variance & Standard
Deviation of Probability Distribution

Computing The Variance of A Discrete Probability Distribution Autosaved

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Computing The Variance of A Discrete Probability Distribution Autosaved

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Computing The Variance of A Discrete Probability Distribution Autosaved

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The number of COVID-19 patients seen in the ER in any

given hour is a random variable represented by X. The

4 0.10 0.40 -1.45 2.1025 0.21025

5 0.20 1.00 -0.45 0.2025 0.0405

6 0.25 1.50 0.55 0.3025 0.075625

7 0.30 2.10 1.55 2.4025 0.72075

𝜎= 𝑋−𝜇 2 ∙ 𝑃 𝑋 = 1.9475 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟗𝟓𝟓 𝒐𝒓 𝟏. 𝟒𝟎

If the points are further from the mean,

The standard deviation of a discrete probability distribution is given by the

You might also like