Statistics › Section G · The central limit theorem › Topic G.4
Approximating the binomial with the normal
Three chapters ago, the binomial histogram turned bell-shaped once np and n(1−p) grew past about 10. This topic cashes that observation in: replacing awkward discrete calculations with one normal lookup, when the trade is safe, and the half-unit fix that makes it accurate.
In this topic
- The bell returns
- Worked example: 400 fair flips
- The continuity correction
- Sample proportions go normal too
- Worked example: a defect spike
- Approximating the Poisson
- When not to approximate
- Software changes the arithmetic, not the idea
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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