STAT 211 Topic 3
Lecture 5
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Random Variables
a function that maps each element in the sample space to a numeric value
When flipping a coin: if we get heads, we assign 1, if we get tails, we assign 0.
- Random variable X so that X(H) = 1 and X(T) = 0
- Discrete Variables
- Finite number of possible values
- EX: gender (male or female); rolling a die (1-6)
- Continuous Variables
- Possibly infinite number of possible outcomes or along an interval
A random variable that is either 0 or 1 is a Bernoulli random variable
Probability Distribution
Probability Mass Function (PMF)
The PMF is the probability that a trial will result in a certain outcome.
Probability distribution function of a discrete random variable X is a little pX.
Notice that Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p(x) \ge 0} because we can't have negative probability
Example
Suppose six lots of components are ready to be shipped by a certain supplier. The number of defective components in each lot is as follows:
| Lot | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defective Items | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Let X be the number of defective items in each lot:
Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF)
The CDF represents the probability that an observed result will be at most (ex. rolling a die will be less than 3)
CDF of discrete random variable X with PMF :
Example
Suppose a discrete random variable X gives the face value we get after rolling a die such that x = 1, 2, …, 6
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 |
Complex probability: P(2 ≤ x ≤ 4)
In General: P(a ≤ x ≤ b)
Unfair Coin
Probability of landing on heads and tails is not 50%.
We can "guess" based on many, many, many coin flips, then divide the results by the total trials.
Example
Suppose 3 independent electronic components connected in serial. Let be 1 if the th component works, and 0 if it fails. Suppose that each component works with probability
is a discrete variable
PMF
Let be the # of components that work: can be 0..3
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
CDF
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| ... |
On average, what is the number of components that work?
Expected Value
Expected value (mean value) of a random variable is the sum of all possibilities for X multiplied by their PMF; denoted by:
From previous example:
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Variance of Random Variable
Variance of a random variable when given PMF:
Given our previous example Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E(X) = 3p} , we can find the variance:
- ...
Lecture 6
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Review Question
Suppose a local TV station sells 15, 30, and 60 second advertising spots. If X is the length of a randomly selected commercial, we are given the PMF:
| Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x} | 15 | 30 | 60 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p_X(x)} | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
What is the average length of all commercials on the station? (Expected value)
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E(X) = \sum{x \cdot p_X(x)} = 1.5 + 9 + 36 = 46.5\ \mbox{seconds}}
What is the variance of the length among all commercials on the station?
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle V(X) = \sum{(x-E(X))^2 \cdot p_X(x)} = 99.225 + 81.675 + 109.35 = 290.25\ \mbox{seconds}^2}
Functions of Random Variables
Linear conversion ratios for any function Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle h} :
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E(h(x)) = \sum{h(x) \cdot p_X(x)}}
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle V(h(X)) = \sum{(h(x) - E(h(X)))^2 \cdot p_X(x)}}
Special (linear) Cases:
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E(aX+b) = aE(X)+b}
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle V(aX+b) = a^2V(X)}
Binomial Distribution
A Binomial Experiment stisfies the following condisitons:
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle n} = number of independent trials / components
- results in success or failure (Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle X} = # of successes)
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p} = probability of success (consistent from trial to trial)
Written as: Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle X \sim Bin(n, p)\,\!} , and if this is the case, the probability of getting Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x} successes is:
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle P(X=x) = \binom{n}{x}p^x(1-p)^{n-x}}
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x=0,1,\ldots,n}
Expected Value of Binomial Distribution
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E(X) = pn\,\!}
Lecture 7
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Binomial Experiments (cont'd)
Example 1
The probability of getting heads by tossing a coin is Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p} . Suppose we toss this coin 4 times:
- How many ways can we get only one success (heads)?
- SFFF, FSFF, FFSF, FFFS
- What is the probability of getting 1 heads in 4 flips?
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \binom{4}{1}p(1-p)^3}
Example 2
I asked 36 students in my past classes how many times they go out in a week. From the data, the fraction of people who go out at least 4 times per week is 5/36. Suppose I randomly select 5 students among those students:
- What is the chance that at least 3 of the 5 students go out at least 4 times a week?
- X = # of students that go out ≥ 4 times/wk among 5 selected students
- X ~ Bin(n = 5, p = 5/36)
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{align} P(X \ge 3) &= P(x=3) + P(x=4) + P(x=5) \\ &= \ldots \end{align}}
Example 3
Consider a system with 7 components serially connected. Suppose each component works with probability Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle p=0.4} and work independently:
- What is the probability that at most 3 components work?
- X ~ Bin(n = 7, p = 0.4)
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \begin{align} P(X \le 3)&=P(x=0)+P(x=1)+P(x=2)+P(x=3)\\ &= \sum_{x=0}^{3}\binom{7}{x}\,0.4^{x}\,0.6^{7-x} \end{align}}
Poisson Distribution
Amount of events happening in a fixed unit parameter (time, volume, area, count, etc.)
- Even though the number of possible outcomes goes to infinity, it is still considered a discrete random variable
- We need to be given an average rate, well call it λ
- Written as X ~ Poisson(λ)
Expected value = Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle E(X) = \lambda} Variance = Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle V(X) = \lambda}
Example 1
It has been observed that the average number of traffic accidents on the Hollywood Freeway between 7 and 8 AM on Tuesday mornings is 1 per hour. What is the chance that there will be 2 accidents on the Freeway, on some specified Tuesday morning (per hour)?
Let X = # of accidents on freeway in one hour on Tuesday morning: X ~ Poisson(λ = 1)
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle P(X=2) = p_X(2) = \frac{e^{-1} 1^2}{2!} = \frac{1}{2e}}
Example 2
Suppose bacteria distribution in river is 1 per 20 cc. If we draw 10 cc in a test tube:
- what is the chance that the sample contains 2 bacteria?
- X = # of bacteria in test tube.
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \frac{1}{20} = \frac{\lambda}{10}}
- Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle P(X=2) = p_X(2) = \frac{e^{-\frac{1}{2}} \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^2}{2!}}
- what is the chance that the sample contains more than 2 bacteria?
- X ≥ 2 ⇒ P(X ≥ 2) = 1 - P(X ≤ 1)