Where can I find resources to learn about distributions.

[CraigH]

Hi
I'm currently studying for my second year engineering exams, and I'm struggling with distributions.
Unfortunately I missed most of the statistics lectures in my math course (something I massively regret now) and the lecture slides aren't annotated enough to give me any clue what is happening.
Usually I can use khan academy to learn the maths I need, and then I just complete past exam papers to ensure I've learned everything I need.
The problem is I do not think Khan academy has uploaded videos on all the types of distributions.

In my class it seems to have been taught like this:

1)A lecture on Gaussian distribution
2)A lecture on Binomial distribution
3)A lecture on poisson distribution

Khan academy only has videos on binomial distributions. Another problem is I think these distributions are called different things in different places. I think Gaussian distributions are sometimes called normal distributions.

Anyway, I did not study A level statistics (My college decided to teach "decision maths" instead), so I am already behind most of my class. It would really help if someone could point me towards some resources where I can teach these subject to myself.

Also, if you could explain any basics that I need to know about these three distributions that would be great.

I think the things I need to know are
.What a distribution is
.Why there are 3 different kinds
.When to use each one
.The equation to calculate each one
.How each one is derived
.skew distributions
.standard deviation

Obviously this is too much to be taught in a forum, but pointers would be greatly appreciated.
I currently do not know anything about any of these things.

Thanks!

 

[SteamKing]

There are more than 3 probability distributions. The 3 you listed are among the more commonly used ones.

Here is one online tutorial:

http://stattrek.com/

There are many others.

 

[Bacle2]

Have you tried Schaum's Prob and Stats?

 

[CraigH]

Hi Bacle, I only had 3 (1 hour) lectures this year on statistics, so I think that buying a book on it will be unnecessary. I don't want to spend too much time on such a small part of the course when there's a lot more I need to be studying.
That being said though I would still like to understand what we have covered. I've started following the stattrek tutorials given by SteamKing, but they quite slow paced, and include a lot of stuff that I do not need to know.
The 3 lectures I had where:

Gaussian (normal) Distributions
Binomial Distributions
Poisson Distributions

In the last lecture something was mentioned about one two of these distributions being a specific case of the other more general distribution.

Can I just ask. What is a distribution, what is the difference between these 3, and how do you calculate these 3?

 

[blue_raver22]

Dear student,

I understand that you are struggling with understanding distributions and are looking for resources to help you learn. I can assure you that there are many reliable sources available to help you with this subject.

Firstly, I would recommend checking out online resources such as Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX. These platforms offer a wide range of courses and tutorials on distributions and other statistical concepts. You can also search for specific topics, such as Gaussian (normal) distribution, binomial distribution, and Poisson distribution, to find relevant resources.

In addition, I would suggest looking for textbooks or study guides on distributions. Some popular ones include "Introduction to Probability and Statistics" by William Mendenhall and "The Practice of Statistics" by Dan Yates and David Moore. These books provide in-depth explanations and examples of distributions and can greatly enhance your understanding of the subject.

Furthermore, you can also seek help from your professor or a tutor who can guide you through the concepts and provide you with additional resources. They can also clarify any doubts or questions you may have.

To answer some of your specific questions, a distribution is a way of representing the probability of different outcomes in a given situation. There are different types of distributions because they are used to represent different types of data. For example, the Gaussian distribution is used for continuous data, while the binomial distribution is used for discrete data. The equation to calculate each distribution may vary, but they all involve calculating probabilities. These distributions are derived from mathematical principles and are widely used in various fields of science and engineering.

Lastly, it is important to understand concepts such as skew distributions and standard deviation, as they are crucial in understanding distributions. Skewness refers to the asymmetry of a distribution, while standard deviation is a measure of how spread out the data is from the mean. These concepts are explained in detail in the resources mentioned above.

I hope this helps you in your learning journey. Remember to take your time and practice as much as you can to fully grasp the concepts. Good luck with your exams!