Lesson 11: Geometric and Negative Binomial Distributions

Overview Section

In this lesson, we learn about two more specially named discrete probability distributions, namely the negative binomial distribution and the geometric distribution.

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

  • To understand the derivation of the formula for the geometric probability mass function.
  • To explore the key properties, such as the mean and variance, of a geometric random variable.
  • To learn how to calculate probabilities for a geometric random variable.
  • To explore the key properties, such as the moment-generating function, mean and variance, of a negative binomial random variable.
  • To learn how to calculate probabilities for a negative binomial random variable.
  • To understand the steps involved in each of the proofs in the lesson.
  • To be able to apply the methods learned in the lesson to new problems.