Midterm 2 Flashcards
What is probability?
the science of chance behaviour (proportion of times an outcome will occur)
What is Gallup Polling?
random sampling gives information about
the sample (people polled) which can be used to make an
estimate of the population.
Is chance predictable?
Chance behaviour is unpredictable over the short run but is
regular and predictable over the long run.E.g. coin tossing
What is randomness?
A kind of order that emerges only after a long run.
What factors affect randomness?
Must have a long series of independent trials.
– Outcome of one trial must not influence the outcome of the next.
What is a probability model?
mathematical description of a random
phenomenon consisting of two parts – a sample space and
a method of assigning probabilities to events.
What is a discrete sample space?
Discrete variables that can
take on only certain values (a
whole number or a
descriptor). E.g. blood types
What is Continuous sample space?
Continuous variables that can take on any one of an
infinite number of possible values over an interval. E.g. cholesterol levels
What do all the probable outcomes sum to?
1
What is the equation for the probability of something not happening?
1 - the probability of it occuring
If two independent outcomes exist, what is the probability of either event occurring?
Probability of event 1 + probability of event 2
What is the addition probability rule?
Probability of an event is the sum of the probabilities of the
outcomes making up the event
What is Benford’s law?
Legitimate documents have a preponderance of 1s and 2s which
usually do not occur with falsified documents.
What is a Normal curve statistically speaking?
A Normal probability model
What is a random variable?
a variable whose numerical outcome is
due to a random phenomenon
What is probability distribution?
of X describes the values X can
take and how to assign probabilities to those values.
What are disjoint/mutually exclusive events?
events that NEVER happen together
What is the General Addition Rule?
pA+pB-P(a+b)
What are independent events?
One event has no probability change on the other
What is the Multiplication Rule for Independent Events?
Pa x Pb
What is sampling with replacement?
Experimental units are replaced before each new
sampling event is started – samples are independent.
What is conditional probability?
Conditional probabilities reflect how the probability of an
event can be different if we know that some other event
has occurred or is true.
What is a discrete random variable?
– random variables that have a
finite list of possibilities.
What is a continuous random variable?
infinite number of outcomes.