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Geometric Random Variable

Definition

A geometric random variable represents the number of trials needed to achieve the first success in a sequence of independent Bernoulli trials, where each trial has a constant probability of success.

Analogy

Imagine you are flipping a fair coin repeatedly until you get heads for the first time. The number of flips it takes to get that first heads is like a geometric random variable.

Related terms

Discrete Random Variable: A discrete random variable can only take on specific values and has gaps between them, such as counting the number of red cars passing by in an hour.

Probability p: Probability p refers to the likelihood or chance of an event occurring. In the context of a geometric random variable, it represents the probability of success on each individual trial.

Bernoulli Trials: Bernoulli trials are independent experiments with two possible outcomes - success or failure. Each trial has a fixed probability of success, denoted by p.