Final answer:
A probability distribution is a mathematical function that provides the probabilities of all possible outcomes of an event. In order for a distribution to represent a probability distribution, it must satisfy certain conditions: the sum of all probabilities must be equal to 1, and all probabilities must be non-negative.
Step-by-step explanation:
A probability distribution is a mathematical function that provides the probabilities of all possible outcomes of an event. In order for a distribution to represent a probability distribution, it must satisfy certain conditions:
- The sum of all probabilities must be equal to 1.
- All probabilities must be non-negative.
To determine whether a distribution represents a probability distribution, you need to check if these conditions are met. If the sum of all probabilities is equal to 1 and all probabilities are non-negative, then the distribution represents a probability distribution.
\For example, if you have a distribution with the following probabilities:
0.3, 0.2, 0.1, 0.4
The sum of these probabilities is 0.3 + 0.2 + 0.1 + 0.4 = 1, which satisfies the first condition. Additionally, all probabilities are non-negative, so this distribution represents a probability distribution.