This mathematics problem involves applying core mathematical principles and formulas. Below you will find a complete step-by-step solution with detailed explanations for each step, helping you understand not just the answer but the method behind it.

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You're on a roll — Here's a breakdown of the concepts from your notes:
• Expectation (Mean) of a Discrete Random Variable: The expectation, or mean, of a discrete random variable is denoted by or . It represents the average value of the random variable over many trials. The formula for the expectation is: where represents each possible value of the random variable, and is the probability of taking that value.
*Example: Tossing Four Coins*
The notes mention "tossing three coins" but the probabilities are given out of $16$, which corresponds to tossing *four* coins ($2^4 = 16$ possible outcomes). Let $X$ be the number of heads when tossing four fair coins. The possible values for $X$ are $0, 1, 2, 3, 4$, with the following probabilities:
$P(X=0) = 1/16$
$P(X=1) = 4/16$
$P(X=2) = 6/16$
$P(X=3) = 4/16$
$P(X=4) = 1/16$
Step 1: Substitute the values into the expectation formula.
$$E[X] = 0 \left(\frac{1}{16}\right) + 1 \left(\frac{4}{16}\right) + 2 \left(\frac{6}{16}\right) + 3 \left(\frac{4}{16}\right) + 4 \left(\frac{1}{16}\right)$$
Step 2: Multiply the terms.
$$E[X] = \frac{0}{16} + \frac{4}{16} + \frac{12}{16} + \frac{12}{16} + \frac{4}{16}$$
Step 3: Sum the numerators.
$$E[X] = \frac{0+4+12+12+4}{16} = \frac{32}{16}$$
Step 4: Simplify the fraction.
$$E[X] = \boxed{2}$$
• Variance of a Discrete Random Variable: The variance of a discrete random variable , denoted by or , measures how far the values of the random variable are spread out from the mean. The formula for variance is: This can be expanded and simplified to a more computationally convenient form: where .
*Example: Calculating $E[X^2]$ for Tossing Four Coins*
Using the same example of tossing four coins, we first calculate $E[X^2]$.
Step 1: Substitute the values into the $E[X^2]$ formula.
$$E[X^2] = 0^2 \left(\frac{1}{16}\right) + 1^2 \left(\frac{4}{16}\right) + 2^2 \left(\frac{6}{16}\right) + 3^2 \left(\frac{4}{16}\right) + 4^2 \left(\frac{1}{16}\right)$$
Step 2: Square the $x$ values and multiply.
$$E[X^2] = 0 \left(\frac{1}{16}\right) + 1 \left(\frac{4}{16}\right) + 4 \left(\frac{6}{16}\right) + 9 \left(\frac{4}{16}\right) + 16 \left(\frac{1}{16}\right)$$
$$E[X^2] = \frac{0}{16} + \frac{4}{16} + \frac{24}{16} + \frac{36}{16} + \frac{16}{16}$$
Step 3: Sum the numerators.
$$E[X^2] = \frac{0+4+24+36+16}{16} = \frac{80}{16}$$
Step 4: Simplify the fraction.
$$E[X^2] = \boxed{5}$$
*Calculating the Variance*
Now we can calculate the variance using $E[X] = 2$ and $E[X^2] = 5$.
Step 1: Use the variance formula.
$$\sigma^2 = E[X^2] - (E[X])^2$$
Step 2: Substitute the calculated values.
$$\sigma^2 = 5 - (2)^2$$
Step 3: Simplify.
$$\sigma^2 = 5 - 4$$
$$\sigma^2 = \boxed{1}$$
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You're on a roll — Here's a breakdown of the concepts from your notes: • Expectation (Mean) of a Discrete Random Variable: The expectation, or mean, of a discrete random variable X is denoted by E[X] or .
This mathematics problem involves applying core mathematical principles and formulas. Below you will find a complete step-by-step solution with detailed explanations for each step, helping you understand not just the answer but the method behind it.