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Intro to Set Operations and Probability

This document summarizes key concepts in probability and statistics: 1) It defines set operations like union, intersection, and complement, as well as De Morgan's laws. 2) It defines a sample space as all possible outcomes of an experiment and an event as a subset of the sample space. 3) It discusses the Kolmogorov axioms that define probability as a function of events and the equally likely assumption for calculating probabilities. 4) It distinguishes between permutations and combinations in counting arrangements and outcomes with and without replacement. 5) It defines conditional probability as the probability of one event given another. 6) It defines independent events as those whose joint probability equals the product of their individual probabilities.

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6 views4 pages

Intro to Set Operations and Probability

This document summarizes key concepts in probability and statistics: 1) It defines set operations like union, intersection, and complement, as well as De Morgan's laws. 2) It defines a sample space as all possible outcomes of an experiment and an event as a subset of the sample space. 3) It discusses the Kolmogorov axioms that define probability as a function of events and the equally likely assumption for calculating probabilities. 4) It distinguishes between permutations and combinations in counting arrangements and outcomes with and without replacement. 5) It defines conditional probability as the probability of one event given another. 6) It defines independent events as those whose joint probability equals the product of their individual probabilities.

Uploaded by

OrYuenyuen
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

STAT2001 Tutorial 1

Sept. 16, 2014

1. Set operation:
Union: A [ B, denotes a set containing all the elements of A and B.
Intersection: A \ B, denotes a set containing the elements in both A
and B.
Complement: A0 , denotes a set containing those elements in but
not in A.
De Morgans Law:
(A [ B)0 = A0 \ B 0
(A \ B)0 = A0 [ B 0
Generalized Form:
0
1
0
([1
i=1 Ai ) = \i=1 Ai
1
0
1
(\i=1 Ai ) = [i=1 A0i

2. Sample space and Event


Sample space: The sample space is a collection of possible outcomes
of an experiment.
For example, we have S1 = {H, T } for tossing a coin, S2 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}
for rolling a dice.
Events: A subset of the sample space.

3. Probability
Common Sense: the chance of getting an event which is a subset of the
sample space.
Kolmogorov Axioms:
Probability is a real valued function P : S ! < , s.t.:
1. P (A) 0, for A 2 S
2. P (S) = 1
3. If A1 , A2 , ... 2 S and Ai \ Aj = ; for i 6= j, then
P ([ni=1 Ai ) =
P ([1
i=1 Ai ) =

Pn

i=1

P (Ai ) for any positive integer n (Additive);

i=1

P (Ai ) (Countably Additive);

P1

Equally Likely Assumption:


Suppose that S is a sample space and A is an event (A S). Under
the equal-probability assumption, the probability of getting event A is
P (A) =

](A)
](S)

4. Counting
Permutation vs. Combination
Select 4 letters from the 26 letters without replacement,
The number of possible four-letter code words is
The number of possible four letters selected is

Exercise: The University Students Union council will elect a new Executive Committee, including one president, two vice presidents, three
secretaries from fifteen candidates. How many arrangements are possible?
2

With replacement vs. Without replacement


Select 4 letters from the 26 letters, the number of possible four-letter
code words is
(without replacement):
(with replacement):

5. Conditional Probability
For any two events A and B, the conditional probability of B
given A is defined as:
P (B | A) =

P (B\A)
,
P (A)

provided that P (A) > 0

Interpretation:
Exercise:Smith has 2 children. We denote a boy as B and a girl as G.
(a) What is the sample space in terms of their children as 2-tuples,
agreeing, for example, that BG indicates that the younger one
is a girl and the older one is a boy?

(b) Given that at least one of them is a girl,what is the probability


the other is also a girl? What is the event now?

(c) Given that the older child is a girl, what is the probability the
younger is also a girl? What is the event now?

6. Independent Events
Definition: Two events, say A and B, are said to be independent if
P (A | B) = P (A), P (B) > 0
A more general definition : A and B are independent i.f.f
P (A \ B) = P (A)P (B)
Independence vs. Mutually Exclusive: A pair of events A and B
cannot be simultaneously mutually exclusive and independent.
Pairwise Independence 6) Independence
Exercise: Suppose a fair coin is tossed twice. Let A = {The first toss
is a head}; B = {The second toss is a head}; C = {The first toss has
the same result with the second toss}. Show that A, B, and C are
pairwise independent but not independent.

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