The birthday experiment is to draw a random sample of size n with replacement from a population of size N. In the applet, the population consists of N balls numbered from 1 to N. We are interested in the event that there is at least one duplication in the sample; the indicator variable of this event is denoted I. On each update, the sample of balls is shown in the first graph; a ball that duplicates a previously chosen ball is shown in red, and otherwise is shown in green. The value of I is recorded on each update in the first table. The discrete probability density function of I is shown in blue in the second graph and is recorded in the second table. On each update, the empirical probability density function of I is shown in red in the second graph and is recorded in the second table. The parameters N and n can be varied with scroll bars.
Software/Applets used on this page

Glossary
density
the ratio of the mass of an object to its volume
event
any set of possible outcomes of a statistical experiment
function
A rule that connects one value in one set with one and only one value in another set.
graph
A diagram showing a relationship between two variables.
The diagram shows a vertical y axis and a horizontal x axis.
The diagram shows a vertical y axis and a horizontal x axis.
population
A collection, group or set of individuals or objects.
sample
A collection of sampling units drawn from a sampling frame.
variable
A value which is unknown and free to vary, often denoted by x or y.
This question appears in the following syllabi:
Syllabus | Module | Section | Topic | Exam Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
AQA A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |
AQA AS Maths 2017 | Statistics | Probability | Experimental Probabilities | - |
AQA AS/A2 Maths 2017 | Statistics | Probability | Experimental Probabilities | - |
CBSE XII (India) | Probability | Probability | Repeated independent (Bernoulli) trials and binomial distribution | - |
CBSE XI (India) | Statistics and Probability | Probability | Random experiments, outcomes, sample spaces (set representation) | - |
CCEA A-Level (NI) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |
CIE A-Level (UK) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |
Edexcel A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |
Edexcel AS Maths 2017 | Statistics | Probability | Experimental Probabilities | - |
Edexcel AS/A2 Maths 2017 | Statistics | Probability | Experimental Probabilities | - |
I.B. Higher Level | 5 | Probability | Experimental | - |
I.B. Standard Level | 5 | Probability | Experimental | - |
Methods (UK) | M15 | Probability | Experimental | - |
I.B. (MSSL) | 3 | Probability | Experimental | - |
OCR A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |
OCR AS Maths 2017 | Statistics | Probability | Experimental Probabilities | - |
OCR MEI AS Maths 2017 | Statistics | Probability | Experimental Probabilities | - |
OCR-MEI A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |
Pre-Calculus (US) | E4 | Probability | Experimental | - |
Pre-U A-Level (UK) | Prob | Probability | Experimental | - |
Scottish (Highers + Advanced) | HS | Probability | Experimental | - |
Scottish Highers | S | Probability | Experimental | - |
Universal (all site questions) | P | Probability | Experimental | - |
WJEC A-Level (Wales) | S1 | Probability | Experimental | - |