Final answer:
The abbreviation 'pdf' in statistics stands for Probability Distribution Function, which describes a discrete random variable either as an equation or a table listing outcomes and probabilities, and for continuous variables, it refers to the probability density function.
Step-by-step explanation:
In statistics, the abbreviation pdf stands for Probability Distribution Function. This function is a mathematical description of a discrete random variable (RV), which can be expressed as a formula or as a table listing possible outcomes of an experiment alongside their associated probabilities. There are two main characteristics of a probability distribution function (PDF) for a discrete random variable:
- Each probability must be between zero and one, inclusive.
- The sum of all the probabilities must equal one.
Furthermore, in the context of continuous random variables, the pdf refers to the
probability density function
, where the area under the density curve represents the probability for a given range. It is important to note that for a continuous probability density function, the total area under the curve must also be one.