Univariate Probability Models—Discrete

Abstract

The simple knowledge of a probability function and its properties will not help much in a practical situation. In many practical problems we can examine the experimental conditions and then select an appropriate probability model or probability function to describe the behaviour of the outcomes in the experiments under consideration. For example, the number of heads obtained, when a balanced coin is tossed a given number of times, may follow a certain probability law; we may be able to describe the life span of television picture tubes with the help of a probability distribution; the traffic accidents at a place, over time, may follow a certain pattern and so on. In this chapter we will analyse some experimental conditions and find out the most appropriate probability models. In the following table we give the most commonly used univariate discrete models. In section 5.2 we will consider an experimental situation where a binomial probability model is appropriate.