For an experiment to be classified as a binomial distrbution four critiria have to be met:
- There must be a fixed number of trials which is denoted by n.
- Each trial only has two possible outcomes. One is labeled success and the other is failure.
- the probably of success is p. The probably of failure is 1-p
- Finally, the trials must be independent of one other (the outcome of one trial does not affect the outcomes of any other trial.)
An example of a binomial experiement is flipping a coin.
- You can set a fixed number of trials. In this case, flipping a coin 3 times.
- You label head as success and tails as failure.
- The probability of heads is p=0.5; the probability of tails is 1-p = 1-0.5 = 0.5.
- Getting heads on the first flip, doesn't change the probability of flipping heads again on the second. Thus the trials are independent.
