Page 81 - Applied Statistics And Probability For Engineers

PQ220 6234F.Ch 03 13/04/2002 03:19 PM Page 59

3

Discrete Random

Variables and

Probability

Distributions

CHAPTER OUTLINE

3-1 DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLES 3-6 BINOMIAL DISTRIBUTION
3-2 PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS 3-7 GEOMETRIC AND NEGATIVE
AND PROBABILITY MASS BINOMIAL DISTRIBUTIONS
FUNCTIONS
3-7.1 Geometric Distribution
3-3 CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION 3-7.2 Negative Binomial Distribution
FUNCTIONS
3-8 HYPERGEOMETRIC DISTRIBUTION
3-4 MEAN AND VARIANCE OF A
DISCRETE RANDOM VARIABLE 3-9 POISSON DISTRIBUTION
3-5 DISCRETE UNIFORM
DISTRIBUTION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After careful study of this chapter you should be able to do the following:
1. Determine probabilities from probability mass functions and the reverse
2. Determine probabilities from cumulative distribution functions and cumulative distribution func-
tions from probability mass functions, and the reverse
3. Calculate means and variances for discrete random variables
4. Understand the assumptions for each of the discrete probability distributions presented
5. Select an appropriate discrete probability distribution to calculate probabilities in specific
applications
6. Calculate probabilities, determine means and variances for each of the discrete probability
distributions presented

Answers for most odd numbered exercises are at the end of the book. Answers to exercises whose
numbers are surrounded by a box can be accessed in the e-Text by clicking on the box. Complete
worked solutions to certain exercises are also available in the e-Text. These are indicated in the
Answers to Selected Exercises section by a box around the exercise number. Exercises are also
available for the text sections that appear on CD only. These exercises may be found within the e-Text
immediately following the section they accompany.

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