probability distribution

Terms from Statistics for HCI: Making Sense of Quantitative Data

The function or histogram that for any data value or potential outcome of a measurement tells you its probability. This can be an empirical distribution based on measurements of real data, such as an income distribution that tells you what proportion of people earn any specific amount. Alternatively, it can be a theoretical distribution based on mathematical analysis, for example the Binomial distribution that tells you the probability of getting exactly n heads out of 20 coin tosses.

Used on pages 7, 15, 43, 45, 47, 50, 51, 52, 53, 81, 92, 98

Also known as distribution