Random variable - Revision history

DavidB4-bot: clean up & uniformity

2016-07-13T18:10:37Z

clean up & uniformity

Aschlafly: added another definition

2009-09-01T01:38:30Z

added another definition

Aschlafly: not "random" or "variable"

2009-08-31T02:17:51Z

not "random" or "variable"

GregLarson: links

2007-11-02T01:24:34Z

links

Jazzman831: bold subject

2007-07-26T05:13:19Z

bold subject

Mtur: correct category

2007-05-17T20:29:08Z

correct category

Jaques at 02:27, April 28, 2007

2007-04-28T02:27:29Z

Jaques at 02:27, April 28, 2007

2007-04-28T02:27:09Z

Aschlafly: New page: A random variable is a function that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for ea...

2007-04-28T02:22:25Z

New page: A random variable is a function that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for ea...

New page

A random variable is a function that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.

There are discrete and continuous random variables. An example of a discrete random variable is the umber of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin. This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10. An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down. It can have any positive value.

== Sources ==

[http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/probability_distributions.html#randvar Statistics Glossary]

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 The terminology "random variable" has been criticized as being neither "random" nor "variable".  A random variable really consists of a sampling from a certain probability distribution.  It is not purely "random" because it is limited by the predefined probability distribution (e.g., "heads" or "tails" in the case of a coin toss, with a likelihood of each determined by the likelihood of each side appearing); it is not a "variable" because it is a sample value from that distribution.
-== Reference ==
+== References ==
 <references/>
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 [http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/probability_distributions.html#randvar Statistics Glossary]
-[[category:probability and Statistics]]
+[[Category:Probability and Statistics]]

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-A '''random variable''' is a [[function]] that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance.  The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.
+A '''random variable''' is a [[function]] that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance.  The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.  The term was first coined in 1949, and Merriam-Webster defines it as follows:<ref>Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 10th Edition (1994).</ref>
 There are discrete and continuous random variables.  An example of a discrete random variable is the number of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin.  This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10.  An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down.  It can have any positive value.
 The terminology "random variable" has been criticized as being neither "random" nor "variable".  A random variable really consists of a sampling from a certain probability distribution.  It is not purely "random" because it is limited by the predefined probability distribution (e.g., "heads" or "tails" in the case of a coin toss, with a likelihood of each determined by the likelihood of each side appearing); it is not a "variable" because it is a sample value from that distribution.
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 A '''random variable''' is a [[function]] that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance.  The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.
-There are discrete and continuous random variables.  An example of a discrete random variable is the umber of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin.  This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10.  An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down.  It can have any positive value.
+There are discrete and continuous random variables.  An example of a discrete random variable is the number of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin.  This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10.  An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down.  It can have any positive value.
 == Sources ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:24, November 2, 2007
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−	A '''random variable''' is a function that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.	+	A '''random variable''' is a [[function]] that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.

	There are discrete and continuous random variables. An example of a discrete random variable is the umber of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin. This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10. An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down. It can have any positive value.		There are discrete and continuous random variables. An example of a discrete random variable is the umber of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin. This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10. An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down. It can have any positive value.

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:13, July 26, 2007
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−	A random variable is a function that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.	+	A '''random variable''' is a function that assigns a unique numerical value to every possible event having an outcome dependent on chance. The random variable will typically be different for each new event, such as a new toss of a coin.

	There are discrete and continuous random variables. An example of a discrete random variable is the umber of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin. This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10. An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down. It can have any positive value.		There are discrete and continuous random variables. An example of a discrete random variable is the umber of heads observed in the ten tosses of a coin. This random variable can only have the values 0, 1, 2, ... or 10. An example of a continuous random variable is the mileage on your car until it breaks down. It can have any positive value.

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:29, May 17, 2007
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	[http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/probability_distributions.html#randvar Statistics Glossary]		[http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/probability_distributions.html#randvar Statistics Glossary]
−	[[category:probability and ~~statistics~~]]	+	[[category:probability and Statistics]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:27, April 28, 2007
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	[http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/probability_distributions.html#randvar Statistics Glossary]		[http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/probability_distributions.html#randvar Statistics Glossary]
−	[[category:~~probibility~~ and statistics]]	+	[[category:probability and statistics]]