Discrete Random Variables
A Discrete Random Variable is a type of variable that can take on a countable number of distinct values. These values are often whole numbers, such as the number of heads in a series of coin flips or the number of students in a classroom. Each possible value has a specific probability associated with it, which indicates how likely it is to occur.
In contrast to continuous random variables, which can take on any value within a range, discrete random variables are limited to specific outcomes. Common examples include the roll of a die, where the outcomes are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the number of cars passing a checkpoint in an hour. Understanding discrete random variables is essential in fields like statistics and probability theory.