Poisson distribution
This term refers to a specific mathematical model used in statistics to predict the number of times an event will occur within a specific timeframe or space. It is most applicable to rare events where the average rate of occurrence is known, but the exact timing of each individual event is random and independent.
In professional and academic contexts, it is distinguished from the binomial distribution by the fact that it does not have a fixed number of trials. It is commonly employed in fields such as queuing theory, insurance risk assessment, and telecommunications to model arrival rates.
Meanings
A discrete probability distribution that expresses the probability of a given number of events occurring in a fixed interval of time or space, provided these events occur with a known constant mean rate and independently of the time since the last event.
The number of emergency calls received by a dispatch center per hour often follows a Poisson distribution.