Brain not functioning--Help with name of distribution

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2006-03-21 12:52am

What is the name of a distribution such that the probability of an event, x, is constant across all time, t, and is often used to describe rates of computer failure (eg. every month a computer has a y% chance of failure, regardless of how long it has been in operation)? I believe that the name of such a distribution begins with a P. Thanks very much, in advance.

TheBlackCat · Post by **TheBlackCat** » 2006-03-21 01:18am

Do you mean a Poisson process or Poisson distribution?

Kuroneko · Post by **Kuroneko** » 2006-03-21 01:20am

There is only one memoryless continous distribution, and that is the exponential, which represents the time between successes (or failures, as the case may be) in a Poisson process.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2006-03-21 03:19am

TheBlackCat wrote:Do you mean a Poisson process or Poisson distribution?

Thank you, both, very much. Locked.