x 1 x 1 x

P( X  x)  p q  p (1  p )
x
; x  0,1
Discrete Probability Distributions:
1. Binomial Distribution
2. Poisson Distribution
 Binomial Distribution

 The binomial distribution is a special discrete distribution where there are

two distinct complementary outcomes, a “success” and a “failure”.
 We have a binomial experiment if ALL of the following four conditions are
satisfied:
1. The experiment consists of n identical trials.
2. Each trial results in one of the two outcomes,
called success and failure.
3. The probability of success, denoted p, remains the
same from trial to trial.
4. The n trials are independent. That is, the outcome of
any trial does not affect the outcome of the others.
In short: An experiment with a fixed number of independent trials, each of
which can only have two possible outcomes.

 Some common notation for “success” that you may see will be p to
represent the probability of “success” and usually q = 1−p to represent the
probability of “failure”.
 Binomial Distribution p+q=1

A trial can result in a success with probability p and a failure with probability q=1-p.
Then the probability distribution of the binomial random variable X, the number of success
in n independent trials, is

P(X = x) =

Measures of Central Tendency for Binomial Distribution:

1. Mean =  = np
2. Variance =  2= npq
3. Standard Deviation = Variance    npq
 Watch what happens as the number of trials, n, increases:

 Interestingly, the distribution shape becomes roughly symmetric when n is large,

even if p isn't close to 0.5. This brings us to a key point:
 As the number of trials in a binomial experiment increases, the probability
distribution becomes bell-shaped. As a rule of thumb, if np(1-p)≥10, the
distribution will be approximately bell-shaped.
Type of Problems based on Binomial Distribution
 Example 1:

The Probability that the patient recovers from a rare blood disease is 0.4. If 15 people
are known to have contracted with this disease, what is the probability that
(a) at least 10 survive,
(b) from 3 to 8 survive, and
(c) exactly 5 survive.
Formula:

Solution: (a) We have: p = 0.4, n=15

q =1-p = 0.6

P( X  10)  P( X  10)  P( X  11)  P( X  12)

 P( X  13)  P( X  14)  P( X  15)

Next slides….
Solution (a)

Note: Calculate and find the final answer to (a)

(b) P(3  X  8)  P( X  3)  P( X  4)  P( X  5)
 P( X  6)  P( X  7)  P( X  8)


(c)

Note: Calculate and find the final answer to (b) and (c)