Discrete and Continuous Probability Distributions参考.ppt

Chapter 5Discrete and Continuous Probability Distributions Chapter Goals After completing this chapter, you should be able to: Apply the binomial distribution to applied problems Compute probabilities for the Poisson and hypergeometric distributions Find probabilities using a normal distribution table and apply the normal distribution to business problems Recognize when to apply the uniform and exponential distributions Discrete Probability Distributions A discrete random variable is a variable that can assume only a countable number of values Many possible outcomes: number of complaints per day number of TV’s in a household number of rings before the phone is answered Only two possible outcomes: gender: male or female defective: yes or no spreads peanut butter first vs. spreads jelly first Continuous Probability Distributions A continuous random variable is a variable that can assume any value on a continuum (can assume an uncountable number of values) thickness of an item time required to complete a task temperature of a solution height, in inches These can potentially take on any value, depending only on the ability to measure accurately. The Binomial Distribution Characteristics of the Binomial Distribution: A trial has only two possible outcomes – “success” or “failure” There is a fixed number, n, of identical trials The trials of the experiment are independent of each other The probability of a success, p, remains constant from trial to trial If p represents the probability of a success, then (1-p) = q is the probability of a failure Binomial Distribution Settings A manufacturing plant labels items as either defective or acceptable A firm bidding for a contract will either get the contract or not A marketing research firm receives survey responses of “yes I will buy” or “no I will not” New job applicants either accept the offer or reject it Counting Rule for Combinations A combination is an outcome of an experiment where x o