expected value

American  

noun

1. Statistics, Mathematics. mathematical expectation.

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expected value British  

noun

1. Also called: mathematical expectation.  statistics the sum or integral of all possible values of a random variable, or any given function of it, multiplied by the respective probabilities of the values of the variable. Symbol: E ( X ). E ( X ) is the mean of the distribution; E ( X–c ) = E ( X )– c where c is a constant

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Etymology

Origin of expected value

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

expected value

Baron said he thinks SpaceX valuation is heading much higher from the expected value of close to $2 trillion at the IPO.

From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026

Finance textbooks teach you about confirmation bias and expected value.

From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026

You find out today whether you’ve “won,” and that instant verdict hits harder than any lesson in expected value.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025

He said customers wanted to see investment and improvements to services, but also expected "value for money and to be treated fairly".

From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2025

The expected value of being a Christian would then be 0 x ∞, and that was gibberish.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife