Math Problem Statement
x P(x) 0 0.1 1 0.3 2 0.25 3 0.35
Find the standard deviation of this probability distribution. Give your answer to at least 2 decimal places
Solution
To find the standard deviation of a probability distribution, we need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Calculate the mean (μ) of the distribution.
The mean of a probability distribution is calculated as: where represents the values of the random variable and represents their corresponding probabilities.
From the table:
Step 2: Calculate the variance.
The variance of a probability distribution is given by: Substitute the value of into the formula:
Now, calculate each term:
- For :
- For :
- For :
- For :
Now sum these results:
Step 3: Calculate the standard deviation.
The standard deviation is the square root of the variance:
Final Answer:
The standard deviation of the probability distribution is approximately 1.01.
Would you like a further breakdown or clarification on any part of the solution? Here are some related questions to explore:
- How would you calculate the expected value of a probability distribution?
- What are the differences between variance and standard deviation in probability distributions?
- How do you calculate the mean for a discrete probability distribution?
- How do you interpret the standard deviation in terms of the spread of a distribution?
- Can standard deviation be negative for any distribution?
Tip: Always check that the sum of the probabilities in a probability distribution equals 1; this is a necessary condition for it to be valid!
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Probability Distribution
Mean
Variance
Standard Deviation
Formulas
Mean: μ = Σ (x * P(x))
Variance: σ² = Σ (x - μ)² * P(x)
Standard Deviation: σ = √σ²
Theorems
Variance and Standard Deviation of a Probability Distribution
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 9-12
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