Hypergeometric Probability Distribution Function

Learning Outcomes

  • State hypergeometric probabilities using mathematical notation
  • Calculate the mean of a hypergeometric random variable

Notation for the Hypergeometric: H = Hypergeometric Probability Distribution Function

[latex]X[/latex] ~ [latex]H(r{,} b{,} n)[/latex]

Read this as “[latex]X[/latex] is a random variable with a hypergeometric distribution.” The parameters are [latex]r[/latex], [latex]b[/latex], and [latex]n[/latex]; [latex]r[/latex] = the size of the group of interest (first group), [latex]b[/latex] = the size of the second group, [latex]n[/latex] = the size of the chosen sample.

example

A school site committee is to be chosen randomly from six men and five women. If the committee consists of four members chosen randomly, what is the probability that two of them are men? How many men do you expect to be on the committee?

try it

An intramural basketball team is to be chosen randomly from 15 boys and 12 girls. The team has ten slots. You want to know the probability that eight of the players will be boys. What is the group of interest and the sample?