Discrete Probability Distributions

BA501 : The Class : Stats : Discrete
Discrete Probability Distribution
Introduction

§ Assignments and Activities §

Discrete probability distributions share the same characteristics with discrete data. Discrete data are data which have "gaps" between them due to physical or logical reasons. For example, the number of telephone calls made per week is discrete data. It is not physically possible to have 5.4 calls per week. Discrete probability distributions include discrete data and a probability attached to each of the possible data values. One can study general discrete probability distributions and a set of special distributions. The special distributions include the binomial, hypergeometric and Poisson. For our purposes, you will study the general nature of discrete probability, general discrete probability distributions and the Poisson.

Objectives:
1. Study the textbook and on-line materials to gain a general understanding of discrete probability distributions.

2. Calculate the mean and stanadard deviation for any discrete probability distribution.

3. Use the Poisson distribution to calculate probabilities of arrivals over time.

Thought for Today

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class calendar for announcements and assignments.

To complete this Topic successfully, please complete the following activities in the order shown below:

Text TEXTBOOK READING: Read Chapter 5 in Kvanli, et. al.

Optional and free on-line texts for statistics: HyperStat and StatSoft

ON-LINE LESSON 1: Discrete Distributons- Introduction

ON-LINE LESSON 2: Discrete Distributions- Examples

SPREADSHEET: Excel and Equations

ASSIGNMENT: Home Work

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SELF TEST: Practice Quiz

Visit this Web site, click on Tools & Demos then select Probability Calculator. Select Poisson from the drop down menu.

WEB ACTIVITY: SticiGui

Use WebMail to send attachments and/or messages. Put BA501 (last name) Assignment name and number somewhere in the "subject" line of your e-mail. Address to BA501@mail.cba.nau.edu

WebMail

In addition to the material available at this web site, you may (optional) use WebTutor linked to WebCT. WebTutor is an interactive web site specfically covering the contents of the Kvanli (statistics) textbook assigned in this course. There is a fee for using this web site ($15). Have a credit card ready and click here to signup for this feature. When you have paid for WebTutor, you may click here to logon. You may download a free student guide to WebTutor by clicking here and then selelcting Student Support.

You should now:

Go on to Continuous Probability Distributions
or
Go back to Statistics

Please reference "BA501 (your last name) Assignment name and number" in the subject line of either below.

E-mail Dr. James V. Pinto at BA501@mail.cba.nau.edu
or call (928) 523-7356. Use WebMail for attachments.