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Describe discrete random variable


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Random variable: A random variable is a rule that assigns a numerical value to each outcome in a sample space. Random variables may be either discrete or continuous. A random variable is said to be discrete if it assumes only specified values in an interval. Otherwise, it is continuous.

Types of Random Variable

As discussed in the introduction, there are two random variables, such as:

  • Discrete Random Variable
  • Continuous Random Variable

Discrete Random Variable

  • A discrete random variable can take only a finite number of distinct values such as 0,1,2,3,4,… and so on.
  • The probability distribution of a random variable has a list of probabilities compared with each of its possible values known as the probability mass function.
  • The probability of any event in an experiment is a number between0and1, and the sum of all the probabilities of the experiment is equal to1.
  • Examples of discrete random variables include the number of outcomes in a rolling die, the number of outcomes in drawing a jack of spades from a deck of cards, and so on.

Continuous Random Variable

A continuous random variable has two main characteristics:

  • the set of its possible values is uncountable;
  • we compute the probability that its value will belong to a given interval by integrating a function called probability density function.

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