9 - Probability and statistics

• Published in: Mathematics for Engineers and Technologists pp. 291 - 320
• Main Authors: Huw Fox, Bill Bolton
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2002
• ISBN: 9780750655446; 0750655445
• DOI: 10.1016/B978-075065544-6/50010-2

This chapter provides information on probability and statistics. When discussing system reliability or quality control, the concept of probability plays a vital part. It is also a vital issue in the consideration of statistics when errors have to be considered in experimental measurements, all measurements being subject to some degree of uncertainty. Probability can be defined as the relative frequency in the long run with which an event occurs or as the fraction of the total number of ways with which an event can occur. This chapter is an introductory consideration of the principles of probability and statistics allied to such engineering issues. The main objective of this chapter is to make the reader understand the concept of probability, and to teach how to use probability principles in the consideration of quality control and system reliability. This chapter also explains how to plot experimentally obtained data to show its distribution; how to use the idea of probability distributions and be able to interpret them; how to determine measures of the location and spread of distributions; how to use measures obtained from the Binomial, Poisson and Normal distributions; and how to determine the errors in results obtained from experimental measurements.