Difference between revisions of "Normal distribution"
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[[category:Distribution Functions]] | [[category:Distribution Functions]] | ||
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Normal distribution function. | Normal distribution function. | ||
| − | { | + | = Normal(mean,stddev) = |
| + | |||
| + | Creates a normal or [[Gaussian]] probability distribution with mean | ||
| + | and standard deviation stddev. The standard deviation must be 0 | ||
| + | or greater. The range [mean-stddev, mean+stddev] encloses | ||
| + | about 68% of the probability. | ||
| + | |||
| + | = When to use = | ||
| + | |||
| + | Use a normal distribution if the uncertain quantity is unimodal and | ||
| + | symmetric and the upper and lower bounds are unknown, possibly | ||
| + | very large or very small (unbounded). This distribution is particularly | ||
| + | appropriate if you believe that the uncertain quantity is | ||
| + | the sum or average of a large number of independent, random | ||
| + | quantities. | ||
| + | |||
| + | = Library = | ||
| + | |||
| + | Distributions | ||
| + | |||
| + | = Example = | ||
| + | |||
| + | :Normal(30,5) → | ||
| + | |||
| + | { To do: Insert image of PDF graph } | ||
| + | |||
| + | = See Also = | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[CumNormal]], [[CumNormalInv]] -- the analytic density functions | ||
| + | * [[BiNormal]], [[Gaussian]] -- multi-variate Normal distributions | ||
Revision as of 21:25, 10 July 2007
Normal distribution function.
Normal(mean,stddev)
Creates a normal or Gaussian probability distribution with mean and standard deviation stddev. The standard deviation must be 0 or greater. The range [mean-stddev, mean+stddev] encloses about 68% of the probability.
When to use
Use a normal distribution if the uncertain quantity is unimodal and symmetric and the upper and lower bounds are unknown, possibly very large or very small (unbounded). This distribution is particularly appropriate if you believe that the uncertain quantity is the sum or average of a large number of independent, random quantities.
Library
Distributions
Example
- Normal(30,5) →
{ To do: Insert image of PDF graph }
See Also
- CumNormal, CumNormalInv -- the analytic density functions
- BiNormal, Gaussian -- multi-variate Normal distributions
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