R
Rishtaara
Statistics Fundamentals
Lesson 5 of 12Article17 min

Random Variables & Expectation

A random variable X assigns a number to each outcome. Discrete: countable values with pmf p(x). Continuous: density f(x) where probabilities are areas.

Discrete vs continuous

A random variable X assigns a number to each outcome. Discrete: countable values with pmf p(x). Continuous: density f(x) where probabilities are areas.

Linearity of expectation holds even when variables are dependent — one of the most useful facts in probability.