the examination for this material consists of 3 hours of multiple-choice questions and is identical to cas exam 1. exam p is now being offered as a computer-based test. details on this appear earlier in the catalog in the exam p computer-based testing administration details section and are posted in the exams and jobs section of the soa web site ( ).
the purpose of this course of reading is to develop knowledge of the fundamental probability tools for quantitatively assessing risk. the application of these tools to problems encountered in actuarial science is emphasized. a thorough command of probability topics and the supporting calculus is assumed. additionally, a very basic knowledge of insurance and risk management is assumed.
a table of values for the normal distribution will be included with the examination.
candidates should be able to use and apply the following concepts in a risk management context:
1. general probability
• set functions including set notation and basic elements of probability
• mutually exclusive events
• addition and multiplication rules
• independence of events
• combinatorial probability
• conditional probability – non bayes theorem
• bayes theorem / law of total probability
2. univariate probability distributions (including binomial, negative binomial, geometric, hypergeometric, poisson, uniform, exponential, chi-square, beta, pareto, lognormal, gamma, weibull, and normal).
• probability functions and probability density functions
• cumulative distribution functions
• conditional probability
• mode, median, percentiles, and moments
• variance and measures of dispersion
• moment generating functions
• transformations