A prior distribution is a probability distribution that represents the uncertainty about a parameter before any data is observed. It plays a crucial role in Bayesian statistics, as it combines with the likelihood of observed data to form the posterior distribution, which reflects updated beliefs about the parameter after considering the data. The choice of prior can significantly influence the results, making understanding its implications essential in various applications, including bioinformatics.
congrats on reading the definition of Prior Distribution. now let's actually learn it.