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#1 2012-11-30 18:39:17
- 123ronnie321
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probabilty distribution
Hi
I want to simulate a real world problem. People can enter a bank at any time between 8 am and 5 pm in the evening. More people are likely to come in the peak morning hours. So how do I get a distribution function for such a case.
I am looking for general ways of tackling this problem and not for a particular solution. I know basic probability but have very limited knowledge in statistics (know just basics like normal distribution, mean, variance)
And good to be back here after a long time 
#2 2012-11-30 18:50:26
- bob bundy
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Re: probabilty distribution
hi 123ronnie321
Welcome back!
You could use a normal distribution and fit it to your data. Strictly it would be possible to get values outside the range, but, in practice, there's a very low chance of this ... if you set 8am as say 3 x the standard deviation. You'd have to firm up on what you mean by 'the peak morning hours'.
Or you could make sure that you don't go outside the limits by having a straight line from (8,0) to a maximum point, and then another sloping down from there to (17,0).
Fix the height so that the area of that triangle is equal to 1.
Bob
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#3 2012-11-30 19:07:31
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Hi 123ronnie321;
Queuing problems like arrivals at a bank with waiting times and things like that are sometimes best modelled with the Poisson Distribution. If you have the data and know what you want to compute probabilities of take a look here and see if any of the model problems are close to what you want.
http://www.umass.edu/wsp/statistics/les … index.html
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#4 2012-12-01 01:42:50
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
Hi bobbym
Thanks for the link!
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#5 2012-12-02 00:46:36
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Hi anonimnystefy;
You have been expressing an interest in statistics so you are welcome.
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#6 2012-12-02 02:49:55
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
Kind of...
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#7 2012-12-02 07:24:12
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Remember the other thread where we talked about careers...
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#8 2012-12-02 09:17:10
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
I do. But, I think it would be good for me to do more problems in statistics...
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#9 2012-12-02 09:24:34
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Where are you at the moment?
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#10 2012-12-02 09:37:45
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
Home...
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#11 2012-12-02 09:39:24
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
I meant where are you in statistics?
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#12 2012-12-02 09:42:00
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
You should've been more precise.
I know something about distibutions, mean, variance,... But that's about it...
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#13 2012-12-02 09:43:58
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Anything I can help with or you still want to research more?
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#14 2012-12-02 09:47:22
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
I cannot think of a better way to learn something new than through problems...
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#15 2012-12-02 09:48:17
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Are you doing any problems right now?
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#16 2012-12-02 09:51:19
- anonimnystefy
- Real Member
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Re: probabilty distribution
No. I don't know where to find them... Do you have any links?
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#17 2012-12-02 10:08:21
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
http://stattrek.com/statistics/problems.aspx
They put a couple of problems at a time. You have enter different topics in the input boxes to get more.
Some of these tests look okay.
http://www.wiziq.com/tests/statistics
http://www2.gsu.edu/~dscbms/ibs/qcontent.html
http://www.tc3.edu/instruct/sbrown/stat/pracprob.htm
I have some shopping to do, see you later and good luck with the problems.
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#18 2012-12-02 10:56:31
- anonimnystefy
- Real Member
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Re: probabilty distribution
Thanks for the links. I will look at them.
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#19 2012-12-02 14:41:02
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Hi;
Let me know if you get stuck.
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#20 2012-12-02 19:09:21
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
I have a question. Is a roll of two dice modeled wirh a descrete normal distribution?
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#21 2012-12-02 19:16:01
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
I use a binomial distribution. What is the problem?
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#22 2012-12-02 19:21:46
- anonimnystefy
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Re: probabilty distribution
Just asking. It's not in any of those...
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#23 2012-12-02 19:24:49
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
I use about 5 or 6 distributions mostly and if you want I can show what type of problems they solve.
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
#24 2012-12-05 07:53:55
- 123ronnie321
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Re: probabilty distribution
Thanks for the links. Khan academy has some really good videos on statistics.
#25 2012-12-05 12:19:52
- bobbym
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Re: probabilty distribution
Hi 123ronnie321;
They do have some nice videos!
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.