Probability in Quantum Mechanics

Question

Do you need to take a probability/statistics course for Quantum Mechanics, or is the probability in quantum mechanics so rudimentary that you can just learn it along the way? I'm in doubt as to whether I should take the course or not, is it needed? What probability is actually in QM?

What I know already:

Arithmetic mean, median, mode, sample & population variance, standard deviation, discrete and continuous random variables, binomial, poisson and gaussiand distribution and finally the expected value.

If you would like to add things I need which aren't listed, that would be wonderful. I'd hate taking the course knowing almost everything I need apart from a couple of things.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-22 16:59 (UCT), posted by SE-user IVYYVI

Answer 1

The probability theory you need to start studying QM is very rudimentary. You need to know what a probability distribution is, the concept of normalization and mean (expectation value). That's about it. When I studied it at Uni, the physics lecturers briefly introduced the concepts for people who hadn't studied stats. It can't have taken more than half an hour to describe.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-22 16:59 (UCT), posted by SE-user twistor59

Comments

So you would say I'm set already? This is my current knowledge of statistics/probability: Arithmetic mean, median, mode, sample & population variance, standard deviation, discrete and continuous random variables, binomial, poisson and gaussiand distribution and finally the expected value.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-22 16:59 (UCT), posted by SE-user IVYYVI

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That's more than enough knowledge of stats to learn QM!

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-22 16:59 (UCT), posted by SE-user twistor59