# 8: Law of Large Numbers


• 8.1: Discrete Random Variables
We are now in a position to prove our first fundamental theorem of probability. We have seen that an intuitive way to view the probability of a certain outcome is as the frequency with which that outcome occurs in the long run, when the experiment is repeated a large number of times.
• 8.2: Continuous Random Variables

Thumbnail: Diffusion is an example of the law of large numbers. Initially, there are solute molecules on the left side of a barrier (magenta line) and none on the right. The barrier is removed, and the solute diffuses to fill the whole container. Top: With a single molecule, the motion appears to be quite random. Middle: With more molecules, there is clearly a trend where the solute fills the container more and more uniformly, but there are also random fluctuations. Bottom: With an enormous number of solute molecules (too many to see), the randomness is essentially gone: The solute appears to move smoothly and systematically from high-concentration areas to low-concentration areas. In realistic situations, chemists can describe diffusion as a deterministic macroscopic phenomenon, despite its underlying random nature. (Pubic Domain; Sbyrnes321 via Wikipedia).

8: Law of Large Numbers is shared under a GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Charles M. Grinstead & J. Laurie Snell (American Mathematical Society) via source content that was edited to conform to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.