Final answer:
The cumulative distribution function (CDF) gives the probability that a continuous random variable is less than or equal to a given value. The probability density function (PDF) describes the probabilities for continuous random variables and allows us to calculate the probability of falling within a specific range of values.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cumulative distribution function (CDF) of a continuous random variable X is defined as P(X ≤ x), which gives the probability that X is less than or equal to x. In other words, the CDF gives the area under the probability density function (PDF) curve up to a given value of x.
The PDF, denoted as f(x), describes the probabilities for continuous random variables. It is a non-negative function where the total area under the curve is equal to one. The PDF represents the density of the probability distribution and allows us to calculate the probability of the variable falling within a specific range of values.