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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.

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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.

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  • $\begingroup$ 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. $\endgroup$
    – IVYYVI
    Nov 25, 2012 at 21:26
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    $\begingroup$ That's more than enough knowledge of stats to learn QM! $\endgroup$
    – twistor59
    Nov 25, 2012 at 21:31

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