Basic Probability Theory With Applications

The main intended audience for this book is undergraduate students in pure and applied sciences, especially those in engineering. Chapters 2 to 4 cover the probability theory they generally need in their training. Although the treatment of the subject is surely su?cient for non-mathematicians, I intentionally avoided getting too much into detail. For instance, topics such as mixed type random variables and the Dirac delta function are only brie?y mentioned. Courses on probability theory are often considered di?cult. However, after having taught this subject for many years, I have come to the conclusion that one of the biggest problems that the students face when they try to learn probability theory, particularly nowadays, is their de?ciencies in basic di?erential and integral calculus. Integration by parts, for example, is often already forgotten by the students when they take a course on probability. For this reason, I have decided to write a chapter reviewing the basic elements of di?erential calculus. Even though this chapter might not be covered in class, the students can refer to it when needed. In this chapter, an e?ort was made to give the readers a good idea of the use in probability theory of the concepts they should already know. Chapter 2 presents the main results of what is known as elementary probability, including Bayes’ rule and elements of combinatorial analysis.

This is a revised and expanded edition of a successful graduate and reference text. The book is designed for a standard graduate course on probability theory, including some important applications. The new edition offers a detailed treatment of the core area of probability, and both structural and limit results are presented in detail. Compared to the first edition, the material and presentation are better highlighted; each chapter is improved and updated.

This book provides a clear and straightforward introduction to applications of probability theory with examples given in the biological sciences and engineering. The first chapter contains a summary of basic probability theory. Chapters two to five deal with random variables and their applications. Topics covered include geometric probability, estimation of animal and plant populations, reliability theory and computer simulation. Chapter six contains a lucid account of the convergence of sequences of random variables, with emphasis on the central limit theorem and the weak law of numbers. The next four chapters introduce random processes, including random walks and Markov chains illustrated by examples in population genetics and population growth. This edition also includes two chapters which introduce, in a manifestly readable fashion, the topic of stochastic differential equations and their applications.

The book is an introduction to modern probability theory written by one of the famous experts in this area. Readers will learn about the basic concepts of probability and its applications, preparing them for more advanced and specialized works.

The nature of probability theory. The sample space. Elements of combinatorial analysis. Fluctuations in coin tossing and random walks. Combination of events. Conditional probability, stochastic independence. The binomial and the Poisson distributions. The Normal approximation to the binomial distribution. Unlimited sequences of Bernoulli trials. Random variables, expectation. Laws of large numbers. Integral valued variables, generating functions. Compound distributions. Branching processes. Recurrent events. Renewal theory. Random walk and ruin problems. Markov chains. Algebraic treatment of finite Markov chains. The simplest time-dependent stochastic processes. Answer to problems. Index.

A concise introduction covering all of the measure theory and probability most useful for statisticians.

This introduction to more advanced courses in probability and real analysis emphasizes the probabilistic way of thinking, rather than measure-theoretic concepts. Geared toward advanced undergraduates and graduate students, its sole prerequisite is calculus. Taking statistics as its major field of application, the text opens with a review of basic concepts, advancing to surveys of random variables, the properties of expectation, conditional probability and expectation, and characteristic functions. Subsequent topics include infinite sequences of random variables, Markov chains, and an introduction to statistics. Complete solutions to some of the problems appear at the end of the book.

Elementary Probability with Applications, Second Edition shows students how probability has practical uses in many different fields, such as business, politics, and sports. In the book, students learn about probability concepts from real-world examples rather than theory. The text explains how probability models with underlying assumptions are used to model actual situations. It contains examples of probability models as they relate to: Bloc voting Population genetics Doubling strategies in casinos Machine reliability Airline management Cryptology Blood testing Dogs resembling owners Drug detection Jury verdicts Coincidences Number of concert hall aisles 2000 U.S. presidential election Points after deuce in tennis Tests regarding intelligent dogs Music composition Based on the author’s course at The College of William and Mary, the text can be used in a one-semester or one-quarter course in discrete probability with a strong emphasis on applications. By studying the book, students will appreciate the subject of probability and its applications and develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills.