Probability distribution

Definition with example:

The total set of all the probabilities of a random variable to attain all the possible
values. Let me give an example. We toss a coin 3 times and try to find what the
probability of obtaining head is? Here the event of getting head is known as the
random variable. Now what are the possible values of the random variable, i.e. what is
the possible number of times that head might occur? It is 0 (head never occurs), 1
(head occurs once out of 2 tosses), and 2 (head occurs both the times the coin is
tossed). Hence the random variable is “getting head” and its values are 0, 1, 2. now
probability distribution is the probabilities of all these values. The probability of
getting 0 heads is 0.25, the probability of getting 1 head is 0.5, and probability of
getting 2 heads is 0.25.

There is a very important point over here. In the above example, the random variable
had 3 values namely 0, 1, and 2. These are discrete values. It might happen in 1
certain example that 1 random variable assumes 1 continuous range of values between
x to y. In that case also we can find the probability distribution of the random
variable. Soon we shall see that there are three types of probability distributions. Two
of them deal with discrete values of the random variable and one of them deals with
continuous values of the random variable.

Difference between probability and probability distribution:

In probability we do not repeat the same event more than once. If the same event is
repeated more than once, we calculate probability distribution. For example, to find
the probability of getting head in tossing a coin once is an example of simple
probability but when the coin is tossed more than once, we get probability
distribution.

Here, the number of times the event occurs or is repeated is known as the number of
trials and is represented by N.

Types of probability distribution:

1. Binomial distribution: Deals with discrete values of random variable

2. Poisson’s distribution: Deals with discrete values of random variable
3. Normal distribution: Deals with continuous values of random variable

BINOMIAL DISTRIBUTION: We use this type of distribution when the number of

trials, i.e. N is finite and ideally within 20. Also, this distribution is used for discrete
values of the random variable as already mentioned. The formula for this is given by:

<Include the formula and explain all the terms used in the formula. Also include the
formula for standard deviation, mean etc.>.

N= number of trials
P= in 1 single trial, p is the probability of success
Q= in 1 single trial, q is the probability of failure
R= the number of times the event occurs

Here, it is to be mentioned that p, and hence q should remain same in all the trials.
And p + q = 1.

POISSON’S DISTRIBUTION: This type of distribution is used when the number of

trials i.e. N is very large and almost infinite and p (i.e. the probability of success in 1
single trial) is very small, so that Np is 1 finite value. This distribution is also used for
discrete values of random variables as already mentioned. The formula for P.D. is:

<Include the formula and explain all the terms used in the formula. Also include the
formula for standard deviation, mean etc.>.

NORMAL DISTRIBUTION:

This distribution is used for continuous values of the random variable, unlike the
previous two distribution function. Before we proceed further, we must have a clear
idea of discrete values and continuous values of the random variable. For the first
example of tossing a coin twice, we can see that the random variable, i.e. the number
of times head can occur, takes values 0, 1, and 2. The random variable cannot take the
value 3 or more because we can never get 3 or more heads in tossing a coin 2 times.
Hence the random variable takes 3 values, 0, 1, and 2. These are discrete values.
Moreover, if we calculate the sum total of the probabilities of these 3 values, it will
give us 1.
Similarly, we can also get 1 continuous range of values for the random variable. Let’s
assume that the random variable can take any values between 0 and 5. We need to
identify that there are infinite values between 0 and 5. And also, the sum of
probabilities of the random variable to take all of these infinite values between 0 and
5 is 1. Now if we plot a graph with the values of the random variable on X axis and
their corresponding probabilities on the Y axis, it would look like this:

The area inside the graph is the sum total of all the probabilities of all the values
between 0 and 5. Hence the area = 1.

Having understood this concept, we can now introduce the formula for normal
distribution which is:

<Include the formula and explain all the terms used in the formula. Also include the
formula for standard deviation, mean etc.>.