Discrete Probability Mass Function

In summary, the conversation discusses a gas supply company trying to secure contracts with two clients, A and B, with a profit of ten million dollars per successful contract. The probability of agreeing a deal with A is 1/4 and with B is 1/2, with the decisions of the two clients being independent. The total profit, X, is found by multiplying the probability of success with the profit amount, resulting in a probability mass function of 1/4 for X = A, 1/2 for X = B, and 0 for any other value. The mean and variance of X can be found by listing the possible values it may take, which are twenty million dollars, ten million dollars, and zero dollars.
  • #1
asd1249jf

Homework Statement


A gas supply company is trying to set up contracts with two clients, A and B. The company will make a profit of ten million dollars for each contract that is successfully agreed. The probability of agreeing a deal with client A is 1/4 and the probability of agreeing a deal with client B is 1/2. The decisions of the two clients are independent. Let X be the total profit that the company will make from the two clients.

a)Find the probability mass function of X

b)Find the mean and variance of X



The Attempt at a Solution



I'm having a problem with setting up the PMF for this question.

f_X(x) =
1/4 for X = A
1/2 for X = B

This makes absolutely no sense. Furthermore, the sum of PMF has to equal to 1 but in this case, it isn't. I'm completely lost, how do I set up the PMF for this?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
X is the total profit. You might start by listing the possible values X may take.
 
  • #3
Twenty million dollars, ten million dollars and zero dollars??

(edit)nvm I figured out ty
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #4
l46kok said:
Twenty million dollars, ten million dollars and zero dollars??

(edit)nvm I figured out ty

I guess that means "never mind" and "thank you". You're welcome. Sometimes it just takes a little hint.
 

1. What is a discrete probability mass function (PMF)?

A discrete probability mass function (PMF) is a statistical tool used to describe the probability distribution of a discrete random variable. It assigns a probability to each possible outcome of the random variable.

2. How is a PMF different from a probability density function (PDF)?

A PMF is used for discrete random variables, while a PDF is used for continuous random variables. This means that a PMF assigns probabilities to specific values, while a PDF gives the probability of a range of values.

3. How do you calculate the PMF of a random variable?

To calculate the PMF of a random variable, you first need to list all possible outcomes of the variable and their corresponding probabilities. Then, you can use the formula PMF(x) = P(X=x) to calculate the probability of each outcome.

4. What is the relationship between a PMF and a cumulative distribution function (CDF)?

The PMF and CDF are related in that the CDF is the sum of all the probabilities in the PMF up to a specific value. In other words, the CDF gives the probability that a random variable is less than or equal to a certain value, while the PMF gives the probability of a specific value.

5. How is a PMF used in real-life applications?

A PMF is commonly used in fields such as finance, economics, and engineering to model and analyze discrete random variables. It can help predict the likelihood of certain outcomes and make informed decisions based on the probabilities assigned to each outcome.

Similar threads

  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
19
Views
904
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
983
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
839
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
5K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
983
Back
Top