Binomial distribution

The binomial distribution gives the probability of a set number of successes in a fixed number of independent trials with a constant success probability.

A binomial setting has a fixed number of trials, two outcomes per trial, independent trials, and the same success probability each time. For example, the number of heads in 10 flips of a fair coin is binomial with n=10n = 10 trials and success probability p=0.5p = 0.5. The probability of exactly kk successes is P(X=k)=(nk)pk(1p)nkP(X = k) = \binom{n}{k} p^k (1-p)^{n-k} (n choose k, times p to the power k, times one minus p to the power n minus k). Its mean is μ=np\mu = np (n times p).

More random variables and distributions terms, or browse the full statistics glossary.