Discrete Probability Distributions Workbook

Goal: Using Microsoft Excel to obtain hypergeometric, negative binomial, and Poisson probabilities.
Cross-reference: Section 4.14.4

Workbook Contents (six sheets):

Overview Sheet Summary of this workbook.
Hypergeometric Calculates hypergeometric probabilities for n =5 , A =13 , N=52
Value Range Notes
Sample size (n) A4
Population successes (A) B4
Population size (N) C4
Number of successes (X) A7:A12 based on n value = 5
P(X) B7:B12 uses HYPGEOMDIST() function
Hypergeometric Chart Histogram of hypergeometric probabilities.
Negative Binomial Calculates negative binomial probabilities.
Value Range Notes
Number of successes (X) B3
Number of trials B4
Probability of success (p) B5
Number of failures (n-X) B6 number of trials minus number of successes.
Negative binomial probability B7 uses NEGBINOMDIST() function
Poisson Calculates Poisson probabilities.
Value Range Notes
Mean D3
Number of successes (X) A7:A22
Poisson probability of X B7:B22 use POISSON() function
Cumulative probability of <= X C7:C22 use POISSON() function
Probability of < X D7:D22 cumulative probability minus binomial probability.
Probability of > X E7:E22 1 - cumulative probability of <=X.
Probability of >= X F7:F22 1 - probability of < X.
Poisson Chart Histogram of Poisson probabilities.
 Hypergeometric

Calculating Hypergeometric Probabilities

n A N Total Category 1
2 3 10 Population 10 3
Sample 2 1
X P(x) Combination value 45 3
0 0.4666666667
1 0.4666666667 Hypergeometric Calculates hypergeometric probabilities for
2 0.0666666667 Value Range
3 Err:502 Sample size (n) A4
4 Err:502 Population successes (A) B4
5 Err:502 Population size (N) C4
Number of successes (X) A7:A12
P(X) B7:B12

Page 2
 Hypergeometric

Category 2
7
1
7 0.466667

hypergeometric probabilities for n =5 , A =13 , N=52

Notes

based on n value = 5
uses HYPGEOMDIST() function

Page 3
 Hypergeometric Chart

Hypergeometric Probabilities

0.5

0.45

0.4

0.35

0.3
P(X)

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of Successes (X)
Page 4
 0.1

0.05 Hypergeometric Chart

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Number of Successes (X)

Page 5
 Negative Binomial

Negative Binomial Calculations

Number of Successes 8
Number of Trials 10
p 0.4
Number of Failures 2
Probability 0.008493

Page 6
 Poisson

Calculating Poisson Probabilities

Mean: 3

X P(X) P(<=X) P(<X) P(>X) P(>=X)

0 0.049787068 0.049787068 0 0.950212932 1
1 0.149361205 0.199148273 0.049787068 0.800851727 0.950212932
2 0.224041808 0.423190081 0.199148273 0.576809919 0.800851727
3 0.224041808 0.647231889 0.423190081 0.352768111 0.576809919
4 0.168031356 0.815263245 0.647231889 0.184736755 0.352768111
5 0.100818813 0.916082058 0.815263245 0.083917942 0.184736755
6 0.050409407 0.966491465 0.916082058 0.033508535 0.083917942
7 0.021604031 0.988095496 0.966491465 0.011904504 0.033508535
8 0.008101512 0.996197008 0.988095496 0.003802992 0.011904504
9 0.002700504 0.998897512 0.996197008 0.001102488 0.003802992
10 0.000810151 0.999707663 0.998897512 0.000292337 0.001102488
11 0.00022095 0.999928613 0.999707663 7.13866E-05 0.000292337
12 5.52376E-05 0.999983851 0.999928613 0.000016149 7.13866E-05
13 1.27471E-05 0.999996598 0.999983851 3.40191E-06 0.000016149
14 2.73153E-06 0.99999933 0.999996598 6.70386E-07 3.40191E-06
15 5.46306E-07 0.999999876 0.99999933 1.2408E-07 6.70386E-07

Page 7
 Poisson Chart

Poisson Probabilities

0.25

0.2

0.15
P(X)

0.1

0.05

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Number of Successes (X)
Page 8
0.05

Poisson Chart

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Number of Successes (X)

Page 9