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What is the difference between the probability distribution of a discrete random variable and that of a continuous random variable? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The difference between the probability distributions of discrete and continuous random variables lies in their computation and representation. Discrete random variables use a probability mass function (PMF) which gives direct probabilities for each possible value, whereas continuous random variables use a probability density function (PDF) which provides probabilities over a range of values.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Discrete Random Variables

A discrete random variable is one that can take on a countable number of distinct values. An example of a discrete random variable could be the number of heads gotten when a coin is tossed three times. This variable can take on values of 0, 1, 2, or 3. The probability distribution of a discrete random variable can be represented by a probability mass function (PMF). The PMF provides the probability of each possible outcome. In the given example, it would give the probabilities for getting 0, 1, 2, or 3 heads.
02

Understanding Continuous Random Variables

A continuous random variable is one that can take on an uncountably infinite number of values. These values could be any number in a given range. An example of a continuous random variable could be the exact height of a randomly chosen individual. The height could be any real number within some range. The probability distribution of a continuous random variable can be represented by a probability density function (PDF). Unlike the PMF, the PDF doesn't give the probability of a single value. Instead, it provides the probability over a range of values. To find the probability that a continuous random variable falls within a certain range, the area under the PDF curve over this range is calculated.
03

The Differences

The primary distinction between a discrete and continuous random variable lies in the way their probabilities are calculated and how their probability distributions are represented. The probability distribution for a discrete random variable is represented by a probability mass function (PMF) and gives direct probabilities for each possible value, while the probability distribution for a continuous random variable is represented by a probability density function (PDF) and gives the probabilities over a range of values.

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