Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: probability distribution problem



Regarding Brian W.'s response to my puzzle:

At 15:36 7/11/00 -0400, you wrote:
Finish the association:

The Poisson distribution is to a gamma distribution what the
Binomial distribution is to a ___?___ distribution.
...

I'm disappointed nobody gave this a shot.
A popular academic formula is B is to C as A is to B
but placing "Poisson" in the blank on general principle
doesn't do it for me.

Good. You are correct about that (i.e. that the above pattern is the
incorrect answer.)

Will someone honor us with an answer?

Ok. It seems there aren't too many others clamoring to post their
answers.

The answer is the *beta* distribution.

Now with this extra hint of this answer, can anyone explain what the
relationship is between the Poisson distribution and the associated
gamma distribution, what the corresponding relationship is between the
Binomial distribution and the associated beta distribution, and what
the relationship is between the Poisson/gamma pair and the Binomial/beta
pair?

David Bowman
David_Bowman@georgetowncollege.edu