Likelihood Function - Definition - Discrete Probability Distribution

Discrete Probability Distribution

Let X be a random variable with a discrete probability distribution p depending on a parameter θ. Then the function

considered as a function of θ, is called the likelihood function (of θ, given the outcome x of X). Sometimes the probability on the value x of X for the parameter value θ is written as, but should not be considered as a conditional probability, because θ is a parameter and not a random variable.

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