The Hypergeometric Distribution

 “n” trials in a sample taken from a finite

population of size N
 Sample taken without replacement
 Outcomes of trials are dependent
 Concerned with finding the probability of “X”
successes in the sample where there are “A”
successes in the population

Basic Business Statistics, 10e © 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Chap 5-1

 Hypergeometric Distribution
Formula

 A  N  A 
  
[ A C X ][ N A Cn X ]  X  n  X 
P(X)  
N Cn N
 
n 
 
Where
N = population size
A = number of successes in the population
N – A = number of failures in the population
n = sample size
X = number of successes in the sample
n – X = number of failures in the sample
Basic Business Statistics, 10e © 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Chap 5-2
 Properties of the
Hypergeometric Distribution

 The mean of the hypergeometric distribution is

nA
μ  E(x) 
N
 The standard deviation is
nA(N - A) N - n
σ 2

N N -1

N-n
Where is called the “Finite Population Correction Factor”
N -1
from sampling without replacement from a
finite population

Basic Business Statistics, 10e © 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Chap 5-3

 Using the
Hypergeometric Distribution
■ Example: 3 different computers are checked from 10 in
the department. 4 of the 10 computers have illegal
software loaded. What is the probability that 2 of the 3
selected computers have illegal software loaded?
N = 10 n=3
A=4 X=2

 A  N  A   4  6 
     
 X  n  X   2 1  (6)(6)
P(X  2)           0.3
N 10  120
   
n  3 
   
The probability that 2 of the 3 selected computers have illegal
software loaded is 0.30, or 30%.
Basic Business Statistics, 10e © 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Chap 5-4