Section 5.1 Student Learning Objectives
This section introduces some important examples of random variables. The distributions of these random variables emerge as mathematical models of real-life settings. In two of the examples the sample space is composed of integers. In the other two examples the sample space is made of continuum of values. For random variables of the latter type one may use the density, which is a type of a histogram, in order to describe the distribution.
By the end of the chapter the student should:
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Identify the Binomial, Poisson, Uniform, and Exponential random variables, relate them to real life situations, and memorize their expectations and variances.
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Relate the plot of the density/probability function and the cumulative probability function to the distribution of a random variable.
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Become familiar with the
Rfunctions that produce the density/probability of these random variables and their cumulative probabilities. -
Plot the density and the cumulative probability function of a random variable and compute probabilities associated with random variables.
