CHAPTER
23 Probability
Mutually Exclusive Events Some Important Results on Probability
A set of events is said to be mutually exclusive if occurrence of one 1. P ( A) = 1 – P(A).
of them precludes the occurrence of any of the remaining events.
Thus, E1, E2, ..., En are mutually exclusive if and only if Ei ∩ Ej 2. If A and B are any two events, then P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B)
= f for i ≠ j. – P(A ∩ B).
Independent Events 3. If A and B are mutually exclusive events, then A ∩ B = f and
Two events are said to be independent, if the occurrence of one hence P(A ∩ B) = 0.
does not depend on the occurrence of the other. \ P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B).
For example, when a coin is tossed twice, the event of occurrence
4. If A, B, C are any three events, then P(A ∪ B ∪ C) = P(A)
of head in the first throw and the event of occurrence of head in
the second throw are independent events. + P(B) + P(C) – P(A ∩ B) – P(B ∩ C) – P(C ∩ A) + P
(A ∩ B ∩ C).
Complement of An Event
The complement of an event E, denoted by E or E′ or Ec, is the set 5. If A, B, C are mutually exclusive events, then A ∩ B = f,
of all sample points of the space other than the sample points in E. B ∩ C = f, C ∩ A = f, A ∩ B ∩ C = f and hence P(A ∩ B) = 0,
For example, when a die is thrown, sample space P(B ∩ C) = 0, P(C ∩ A) = 0, P(A ∩ B ∩ C) = 0.
S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
\ P(A ∪ B ∪ C) = P(A) + P(B) + P(C).
If E = {1, 2, 3, 4}, then E = {5, 6}.
Note that E ∪ E = S. 6. P( A ∩ B ) = 1 – P(A ∪ B).
Mutually Exclusive and Exhaustive Events 7. P( A ∪ B ) = 1 – P(A ∩ B).
A set of events E1, E2, ..., En of a sample space S form a mutually
exclusive and exhaustive system of events, if 8. P(A) = P(A ∩ B) + P( A ∩ B ) .
(i) Ei ∩ Ej = f for i ≠ j and
9. P(B) = P(B ∩ A) + P( B ∩ A) .
(ii) E1 ∪ E2 ∪ ... ∪ En = S
Notes: 10. If A1, A2, ..., An are independent events, then P
(i) O ≤ P(E) ≤ 1, i.e. the probability of occurrence of an event (A1 ∩ A2 ∩ ... ∩ An) = P(A1) ⋅ P(A2) ... P(An).
is a number lying between 0 and 1.
11. If A1, A2, ..., An are mutually exclusive events, then
(ii) P(f) = 0, i.e. probability of occurrence of an impossible
event is 0. P(A1 ∪ A2 ∪ ... ∪ An) = P(A1) + P(A2) + ... + P(An).
(iii) P(S) = 1, i.e. probability of occurrence of a sure event is 1. 12. If A1, A2, ..., An are exhaustive events, then P
ODDs in Favour of An Event and ODDs Against An (A1 ∪ A2 ∪ ... ∪ An) = 1.
Event 13. If A1, A2, ..., An are mutually exclusive and exhaustive events,
If the number of ways in which an event can occur be m and the then
number of ways in which it does does not occur be n, then
P(A1 ∪ A2 ∪ ... ∪ An) = P(A1) + P(A2) + ... + P(An) = 1.
m
(i) Odds in favour of the event = and 14. If A1, A2, ..., An are n events, then
n
n (i) P(A1 ∪ A2 ∪ ... ∪ An) ≤ P(A1) + P(A2) + ... + P(An).
(ii) Odds against the event = .
m (ii) P(A1 ∩ A2 ∩ ... ∩ An) ≥ 1 – P( A1 ) − P( A2 ) ... − P( An ) .