Last updated: March 2, 2026 by Sarah Chen

Discrete Probability Distributions

Formula

Probability distributions describe how probabilities are spread across possible outcomes of a random variable. Discrete distributions apply to countable outcomes such as coin flips, defective items, or customer arrivals.

Key discrete distributions include binomial (fixed trials), Poisson (events over time), geometric (first success), and hypergeometric (sampling without replacement).

Common use cases:

  • Modeling event probabilities
  • Statistical hypothesis testing
  • Risk and reliability analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sarah Chen

Financial Analyst, CFA

Sarah is a Chartered Financial Analyst with over 8 years of experience in investment management and financial modeling. She specializes in retirement planning and compound interest calculations.

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