Solved – Expectation of joint probability mass function

joint distribution

Let the joint probabilty mass function of discrete random variables X and Y be given by

$f(x,y)=\frac{x^2+y^2}{25}$, for $(x,y) = (1,1), (1,3), (2,3)$

The value of E(Y) is ?

Attempt

$E(Y) = \sum_{x,y} y\cdot\frac{x^2 + y^2}{25}$

$E(Y) = \sum_{x,y}\frac{x^2y + y^3}{25}$

Substituting for $(x,y) = (1,1), (1,3), (2,3)$

$E(Y) = \frac1{25} + \frac{30}{25} + \frac{39}{25}$

$E(Y) = 2.80$

Is this right?

Best Answer

\begin{align} \mathbb E[Y] &= \sum_y y\cdot\mathbb P(Y=y)\\ &= 1\cdot\mathbb P(Y=1) + 3\cdot\mathbb P(Y=3)\\ &= \frac{1^2+1^2}{25} + 3\left(\frac{1^2+3^2}{25}+\frac{2^2+3^2}{25} \right)\\ &= \frac{71}{25}. \end{align}

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