Terminology and Basic Concepts

This page introduces fundamental terminology and concepts in probability theory. It covers the definitions of experiments, events, and sample spaces, which are essential for understanding more complex probability problems.

Vocabulary:

• Experiment: A repeatable process that yields a number of outcomes
• Event: One or more specific outcomes of an experiment
• Sample Space: The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment

The page also presents examples of probability calculations using dice rolls and Venn diagrams. These examples demonstrate how to determine probabilities for specific events and how to represent probabilities visually.

Example: Two six-sided dice are thrown, and their product X is recorded. The sample space diagram shows all possible outcomes, and probabilities are calculated for events such as X=24, X<5, and X being even.

Highlight: Venn diagrams are introduced as a powerful tool for representing probabilities, especially when dealing with multiple events or sets.

The page concludes with a more complex example involving a class of 30 students and their participation in choir and band activities. This example illustrates how to use Venn diagrams to calculate probabilities of combined events.

Example: In a class of 30 students, 7 are in the choir, 5 are in the school band, and 2 are in both. The probability of a randomly chosen student not being in the choir or band is calculated as 2/3.

Mutually Exclusive and Independent Events

This page delves deeper into two important concepts in probability theory: mutually exclusive events and independent events. It explains how these concepts affect probability calculations and provides examples using Venn diagrams.

Definition:

• Mutually Exclusive Events: Events that have no outcomes in common
• Independent Events: Events that do not affect each other's probabilities

The page introduces formulas for calculating probabilities of mutually exclusive and independent events:

Highlight:

• For mutually exclusive events A and B: P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B)
• For independent events A and B: P(A ∩ B) = P(A) × P(B)

Several examples are provided to illustrate these concepts, including a Venn diagram representing students watching TV programs and a social club's charitable activities.

Example: A Venn diagram shows the probabilities of members of a social club participating in archery (A), raffle (R), and fun run (F) activities. Students are asked to find unknown probabilities and determine if events are independent.

The page also covers the addition rule for probability, which is useful when events are not mutually exclusive:

Highlight: Addition Rule: P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A ∩ B)

These examples and exercises help students understand how to apply probability formulas and interpret Venn diagrams in various scenarios.