Binomial Probability Calculator

A binomial experiment has the following characteristics:

• The experiment involves repeated trials.
• Each trial has only two possible outcomes - a success or a failure.
• The probability that any trial will result in success is constant.
• All of the trials in the experiment are independent.

A series of coin tosses is a perfect example of a binomial experiment. Suppose we toss a coin three times. Each coin flip represents a trial, so this experiment would have 3 trials. Each coin flip also has only two possible outcomes - a Head or a Tail. We could call a Head a success; and a Tail, a failure. The probability of a success on any given coin flip would be constant (i.e., 50%). And finally, the outcome on any coin flip is not affected by previous or succeeding coin flips; so the trials in the experiment are independent.

A binomial distribution is a probability distribution. It refers to the probabilities associated with the number of successes in a binomial experiment.

For example, suppose we toss a coin three times and suppose we define Heads as a success. This binomial experiment has four possible outcomes: 0 Heads, 1 Head, 2 Heads, or 3 Heads. The probabilities associated with each possible outcome are an example of a binomial distribution, as shown below.

The number of trials refers to the number of replications in a binomial experiment.

Suppose that we conduct the following binomial experiment. We flip a coin and count the number of Heads. We classify Heads as success; tails, as failure. If we flip the coin 3 times, then 3 is the number of trials. If we flip it 20 times, then 20 is the number of trials.

Note: Each trial results in a success or a failure. So the number of trials in a binomial experiment is equal to the number of successes plus the number of failures.

Each trial in a binomial experiment can have one of two outcomes. The experimenter classifies one outcome as a success; and the other, as a failure. The number of successes in a binomial experient is the number of trials that result in an outcome classified as a success.

In a binomial experiment, the probability of success on any individual trial is constant. For example, the probability of getting Heads on a single coin flip is always 0.50. If "getting Heads" is defined as success, the probability of success on a single trial would be 0.50.

A binomial probability refers to the probability of getting EXACTLY r successes in a specific number of trials. For instance, we might ask: What is the probability of getting EXACTLY 2 Heads in 3 coin tosses. That probability (0.375) would be an example of a binomial probability.

In a binomial experiment, the probability that the experiment results in exactly x successes is indicated by the following notation: P(X=x);

Cumulative binomial probability refers to the probability that the value of a binomial random variable falls within a specified range.

The probability of getting AT MOST 2 Heads in 3 coin tosses is an example of a cumulative probability. It is equal to the probability of getting 0 heads (0.125) plus the probability of getting 1 head (0.375) plus the probability of getting 2 heads (0.375). Thus, the cumulative probability of getting AT MOST 2 Heads in 3 coin tosses is equal to 0.875.

Notation associated with cumulative binomial probability is best explained through illustration. The probability of getting FEWER THAN 2 successes is indicated by P(X<2); the probability of getting AT MOST 2 successes is indicated by P(X≤2); the probability of getting AT LEAST 2 successes is indicated by P(X≥2); the probability of getting MORE THAN 2 successes is indicated by P(X>2).