Chapter 17
More on Probability
In This Chapter
Understanding the beta version
Pursuing Poisson
Grappling with gamma
Speaking exponentially
In the Chapter 16, I delve into probability in a semiformal way, and introduce distributions of random variables. The binomial distribution is the starting point. In this chapter, I examine additional distributions.
One of the symbols on the pages of this book (and other books in the For Dummies series) lets you know that “technical stuff” follows. It might have been a good idea to hang that symbol above this chapter’s title. So here’s a small note of caution: Some mathematics follows. I put the math in to help you understand what you’re doing when you work with the dialog boxes of the Excel functions I describe.
Are these functions on the esoteric side? Well . . . yes. Will you ever have occasion to use them? Well . . . you just might.
Discovering Beta
This one connects with the binomial distribution, which I discuss in Chapter 16. The beta distribution (not to be confused with “beta,” the probability of a Type 2 error) is a sort of chameleon ...
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