Learning Objectives

LO6-1 Identify the characteristics of a probability

distribution
LO6-2 Distinguish between discrete and continuous
random variables
LO6-3 Compute the mean, variance, and standard
deviation of a discrete probability distribution
LO6-4 Explain the assumptions of the binomial
distribution and apply it to calculate
Discrete Probability Distributions probabilities
LO6-5 Explain the assumptions of the hypergeometric
distribution and apply it to calculate probabilities
Chapter 6 LO6-6 Explain the assumptions of the Poisson distribution
and apply it to calculate probabilities

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What is a Probability Distribution? Probability Distribution Example

 Suppose we are interested in the number of heads
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION A listing of all the outcomes of an showing face up with 3 tosses of a coin
experiment and the probability associated with each outcome.
 The possible outcomes are 0 heads, 1 head, 2 heads, and 3
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION heads
1. The probability of a particular outcome is between 0 and 1
inclusive.
2. The outcomes are mutually exclusive.
3. The list of outcomes is exhaustive. So the sum of the probabilities of
the outcomes is equal to 1.

 Example: A drug manufacturer may claim a treatment will

cause weight loss for 80% of the population. This claim could
be tested by a consumer protection agency using a sample and
statistical inference.

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Probability Distribution Table Random Variables
 Probability distribution table and chart for the events of  In any experiment of chance, the outcomes occur
zero, one, two, and three heads randomly, and so are called random variables

RANDOM VARIABLE A quantity resulting from an experiment that, by

chance, can assume different values.

 Examples
 The number of employees absent from the day shift on
Monday, the number might be 0, 1, 2, 3, …The number
absent is the random variable
 The grade level (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior)
of the members of the St. James High School Varsity girls’
basketball team. Grade level is the random variable
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Two Types of Random Variables Discrete Random Variable

 One type of random variable is the discrete random  For example, the Bank of the Carolinas counts the
variable number of credit cards carried by a group of customers
 Discrete variables are usually the result of counting  The number of cards carried is the discrete random
DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE A random variable that can assume
variable
only certain clearly separated values.
Number of Credit Cards Relative Frequency
 Examples 0 .03
 Tossing a coin three times and counting the number of 1 .10

heads 2 .18
3 .21
 A bank counting the number of credit cards carried by a
4 or more .48
group of customers Total 1.00

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 Mean and Variance of a Probability
Continuous Random Variables Distribution
 Continuous random variables can assume an infinite  The mean is a typical value used to represent the central
number of values within a given range location of the data
 Continuous variables are usually the result of measuring  The mean is also referred to as the expected value
 Examples
 The time between flights between Atlanta and LA are
4.67 hours, 5.13 hours, and so on  The amount of spread (or variation) in the data is
described by the variance
 The annual snowfall in Minneapolis, MN measured in
inches
 The standard deviation of the probability distribution is
the positive square root of the variance

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Probability Distribution Mean Example Probability Distribution Variance Example

John Ragsdale sells new
 The computational steps for variance
cars for Pelican Ford. John  Subtract the mean from each value of x and square
usually sells the most cars
on Saturday. He has 1. What type of distribution is this?  Multiply each squared difference by its probability
developed a probability 2. How many cars does John expect
distribution for the to sell on a typical Saturday?  Sum the resulting products to arrive at the variance
number of cars he expects 3. What is the variance?
to sell on Saturday.

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Binomial Distribution Binomial Probability Experiment
 There are four requirements of a binomial probability  Use the number of trials, n, and the probability of a
distribution success, to compute binomial probability
1. There are only two possible outcomes and the outcomes are
mutually exclusive, as either a success or a failure BINOMIAL PROBABILITY EXPERIMENT
2. The number of trials is fixed and known 1. An outcome on each trial of an experiment is classified into one of
two mutually exclusive categories — a success or a failure.
3. The probability of a success is the same for each trial 2. The random variable is the number of successes in a fixed number
4. Each trial is independent of any other trial of trials.
3. The probability of success is the same for each trial.
4. The trials are independent, meaning that the outcome of one trial
 Example does not affect the outcome of any other trial.
 A young family has two children, both boys. The
probability of the third birth being a boy is still .50. The
 Note: Do not confuse the symbol with the
gender of the third child is independent of the gender of
mathematical constant 3.1416
the other two.

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How is a Binomial Probability Computed? Binomial Probability Distribution

There are five flights daily from Pittsburgh via US Airways into the Bradford
Regional Airport in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Suppose the probability that any
flight arrives late is .20. What is the probability that none of the flights are late
today? What is the probability that exactly 1 of the flights is late today?

There are five flights daily from Pittsburgh via US Airways into the Bradford
Regional Airport in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Suppose the probability that any
flight arrives late is .20.
What is the
probability that none P(x) = nCr(π r 1 π n r
of the flights are late P(0) = 5C0(.20 0 1 .20 5 0
today? = (1)(1)(.3277) = .3277

What is the
probability that P(x) = nCr(π r 1 π n r
exactly one of the P(1) = 5C1(.20 1 1 .20 5 1

flights is late today? = (1)(1)(.4096) = .4096

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Shortcut Formulas Binomial Probability Tables
 Tables are already constructed for use as well
In the Southwest, 5% of all cell phone calls are dropped. What is the
probability that out of six randomly selected calls, none was dropped?
Exactly one? Exactly two? Exactly three? Exactly four? Exactly five?
Exactly six out of six? See the table below for the answers.

 Using the preceding example of flights into Bradford

Airport; n=5 and

2
2 .80

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Cumulative Binomial Probability

Distributions Hypergeometric Distribution
A study by the Illinois Department of Transportation concluded that 76.2% of
 When sampling from relatively small populations without
front seat occupants wore seat belts. That is, both occupants of the front seat replacement, use the hypergeometric distribution
were using their seat belts. Suppose we decide to compare that information with
current usage. We select a sample of 12 vehicles.
HYPERGEOMETRIC PROBABILITY EXPERIMENT
1. What is the probability that the front seat occupants in exactly 7 of the 12
1. An outcome on each trial of an experiment is classified into one of
vehicles are wearing seat belts?
two mutually exclusive categories — a success or a failure.
P(x) = nCr(π r 1 π n r 2. The random variable is the number of successes in a fixed number
of trials.
P(x=7) = 12C7(.762 7 1 .762 12 7 3. The trials are not independent.
= 792(.149171)(.000764) = .0902 4. We assume that we sample from a finite population without
2. What is the probability that at least 7 of the 12 front seat occupants are replacement and n/N > 0.05. So, the probability of a success changes
wearing seat belts? for each trial.
P(x≥7) = P(x=7) + P(x=8) + P(x=9) + P(x=10) + P(x=11) + P(x=12)
=.0902 + .1805 + .2569 + .2467 + .1436 + .0383
=.9562

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Hypergeometric Formula Hypergeometric Probabilities

Union Members Probability

0 .000
1 .004
2 .044
3 .210
4 .431
PlayTime Toys Inc. employs 50 5 .311
people in the Assembly Dept. Forty 40𝐶4 50 40𝐶5 4
𝑃 4 1.000
of the employees belong to a union 50𝐶5
and 10 do not. Five employees are ,
selected at random to form a = = .431
, ,
committee. What is the probability
that four of the five belong to a
union.

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Poisson Probability Distribution Poisson Distribution

 This describes the number of times some event occurs POISSON PROBABILITY EXPERIMENT
during a specified interval 1. The random variable is the number of times some event occurs
during a defined interval.
 The interval can be time, distance, area, or volume 2. The probability of the event is proportional to the size of the
interval.
 Two assumptions 3. The intervals do not overlap and are independent.
 The probability is proportional to the length of the
interval
 The intervals are independent
 The Poisson has many applications like describing
 The distribution of errors in data entry
 The number of accidents on I-75 during a three-month
period
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Poisson Distribution Example Poisson Probability Distribution Tables
NewYork-LA Trucking company finds the mean number of breakdowns on
Budget Airlines is a seasonal airline that operates flights from Myrtle Beach,
the New York to Los Angeles route is 0.30. From the table, we can locate
South Carolina, to various cities in the northeast. Recently Budget has been
the probability of no breakdowns on a particular run. Find the column 0.3,
concerned about the number of lost bags. Ann Poston from the Analytics then read down that column to the row labeled 0; the value is .7408. The
Department was asked to study the issue. She randomly selected a sample of probability of 1 breakdown is .2222
500 flights and found that a total of twenty bags were lost on the sampled flights.
The mean number of bags lost, μ, is found by 20/500 = .04

The probability that no bags are lost is found using formula 6-7.
. .
P 0 = .9608
! !

Then calculate the probability that one or more bags is lost.

. .
P(x≥1) =1-P 0 1 1- = 1- .9608 = .0392
! !

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