SAMPLE SPACES AND EVENTS

SAMPLE SPACE
Also called an
outcome space
The set of all possible
outcomes of an experiment
EVENT

refers to a subset of
the sample space
TAKE NOTE:

SAMPLE SPACES and EVENTS are sets

should be written using braces

Written in roster form

EXAMPLE 1

Suppose two different coins are tossed at

random. You know that the possible
outcomes are HH, HT, TH, and TT. Thus, the
sample space S is given by the finite set.

S={HH, HT, TH, TT}

EXAMPLE 2:

Three books are to be selected from five books on a

shelf. If the books consist of algebra, geometry,
statistics, history, and physics books, then the
sample space is the set:
B={algebra, geometry, statistics, history, physics}
What is the event that refers to math books in this
situation?
M={algebra, geometry, statistics}
EXAMPLE 3:

Two fair dice are rolled and the outcome

is recorded. Write a set for the following
events:
(a)Sample space
(b)Sum of 5
(c)Doubles
(a) Sample Space

Since there are two dice in the experiment and each

die has 6 faces, by the FCP, then, there are 6x6= 36
outcomes. Thus, the sample space S is:

𝟏, 𝟏 , 𝟏, 𝟐 , 𝟏, 𝟑 , 𝟏. 𝟒 , 𝟏, 𝟓 , 𝟏, 𝟔 ,
𝟐, 𝟏 , 𝟐, 𝟐 , 𝟐, 𝟑 , 𝟐. 𝟒 , 𝟐, 𝟓 , 𝟐, 𝟔 ,
𝟑, 𝟏 , 𝟑, 𝟐 , 𝟑, 𝟑 , 𝟑. 𝟒 , 𝟑, 𝟓 , 𝟑, 𝟔 ,
S=
𝟒, 𝟏 , 𝟒, 𝟐 , 𝟒, 𝟑 , 𝟒. 𝟒 , 𝟒, 𝟓 , 𝟒, 𝟔 ,
𝟓, 𝟏 , 𝟓, 𝟐 , 𝟓, 𝟑 , 𝟓, 𝟒 , 𝟓, 𝟓 , 𝟓, 𝟔 ,
𝟔, 𝟏 , 𝟔, 𝟐 , 𝟔, 𝟑 , 𝟔. 𝟒 , 𝟔, 𝟓 , 𝟔, 𝟔
(b) Sum of 5

F = {(1,4), (2,3), (3,2), (4,1)}

(c) Doubles

D = {(1,1), (2,2),
(3,3), (4,4),
(5,5),(6,6)}
SEATWORK #1
On your Alpha Notebook, for 5 minutes,
copy and answer the situation below.

1. Which events in your life do

you consider significant? Write
a sample space considering
this situation.
EXAMPLE:

A={ birthday, elementary graduation,

high school graduation, successful
thesis defense, college graduation,
landed a teaching job, …}
RANDOM VARIABLE
RANDOM VARIABLE

set of possible values in a

random experiment
Denoted with capital letters
such as X, Y, Z
 EXAMPLE 1:

Two balls are drawn in succession WITHOUT

REPLACEMENT from an urn containing 4 red balls and
3 black balls. The possible outcomes and the values of Y
of the random variable, where Y is the number of red
balls.
Given: 4 red balls, 3 black balls
Y= number of red balls Solution: R= {RR, RB, BR, BB}
Find: y= ?
Y = number of red balls
y= { 0, 1, 2 }
SAMPLE SPACE y
RR 2
RB 1
BR 1
BB 0
 EXAMPLE 2:

A stockroom clerk returns 3 safety helmets at a random to 3 steel mill

employees who had previously checked them. If Smith, Jones, and
Brown, in this particular order, received one of the 3 hats. List the
sample points for the possible orders of returning the helmets, and
find the value of the random variable M that represents the correct
matches.

Given: M= number of correct matches

Find: m= ?
Solution:

Sample Space m
SJB 3
SBJ 1
JBS 0
JSB 1
BSJ 0
BJS 1
 EXAMPLE 2:
A stockroom clerk returns 3 safety helmets at a random to 3 steel mill
employees who had previously checked them. If Smith, Jones, and
Brown, in this particular order, received one of the 3 hats. List the
sample points for the possible orders of returning the helmets, and
find the value of the random variable M that represents the correct
matches.

Given: M= number of correct matches

Find: m= ?
Therefore, m= {0, 1,3}
 EXAMPLE 3:

Approximately 3% of the US adult population is

under correctional supervision. Suppose we
randomly selected 2 samples of US adults. Given Z
as the adult that is under correctional supervision.
Given: Z= adult that is under correctional supervision
Find: z = ?
Solution:

Since, suppose we randomly selected 2

samples of US adults, we:
Let C = under correctional supervision
N = not under correctional supervision
Solution:

Sample Space z
CN 1
NC 1
CC 2
NN 0

Therefore, z = { 0, 1, 2 }
SIMPLE PROBABILITY
 Probability

Probability is a measure of how likely an event is to

occur.

For example –
Today there is a 60% chance of rain.
The odds of winning the lottery are a million to one.
What are some examples you can think of?
 Probability

Probabilities are written as:

Fractions from 0 to 1

Decimals from 0 to 1

Percents from 0% to 100%

 Probability

If an event is certain to happen, then the probability

of the event is 1 or 100%.

If an event will NEVER happen, then the probability of

the event is 0 or 0%.

If an event is just as likely to happen as to not happen,

then the probability of the event is ½, 0.5 or 50%.
 Probability

Impossible Unlikely Equal Chances Likely Certain

0 0.5 1
0% 50% 100%

½
PROBABILITY OF AN EVENT

𝟎 ≤ 𝑷(𝑬) ≤ 𝟏
 PROBABILITY OF AN EVENT

Always a value between and including 0 and 1

If the probability is 0, an event is LESS LIKELY TO
HAPPEN.
If the probability is 1, an event is MORE LIKELY TO
HAPPEN.
 PROBABILITY
When a meteorologist states that the chance of rain is
50%, the meteorologist is saying that it is equally likely to
rain or not to rain.

If the chance of rain rises to 80%, it is more likely to rain.

If the chance drops to 20%, then it may rain, but it

probably will not rain.
 Probability

What are some events that will never happen and

have a probability of 0%?

What are some events that are certain to happen and

have a probability of 100%?

What are some events that have equal chances of

happening and have a probability of 50%?
 PROBABILITY OF AN EVENT

A numerical value that describes the likelihood

that an event will happen or not.
Calculated using the ratio of the cardinality of the
event and the cardinality of the sample space. In
symbols,

𝒏(𝑬) 𝒏𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕

P(E) = =
𝒏(𝑺) 𝒏𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆
TAKE NOTE

Probability is an important skill that allows

one to consider all possible outcomes
before embarking on an important
decision. Knowing the chances that an
event will happen can give clear
directions involving the interplay of your
choices and actions.
 Probability

IN SHORT: The probability of an event is written:

P(event) = number of ways event can occur

total number of outcomes
 Probability

P(event) = number of ways event can occur

total number of outcomes

An outcome is a possible result of a probability

experiment

When rolling a number cube, the possible outcomes are

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
 Probability

P(event) = number of ways event can occur

total number of outcomes

An event is a specific result of a probability experiment

When rolling a number cube, the event of rolling an even

number is 3 (you could roll a 2, 4 or 6).
 Probability

P(event) = number of ways event can occur

total number of outcomes

What is the probability of getting heads

when flipping a coin?
P(heads) = number of ways = 1 head on a coin = 1
total outcomes = 2 sides to a coin = 2

P(heads)= ½ = 0.5 = 50%

Complement Rule of Probability

Probability of an event that will

happen and the probability
that it will not give a sum of 1.
In symbols:
P(E) +P(E’)=1+0=1
Complement Rule of Probability

P(E’)=1−P(E)
EXAMPLE 1

If you flip two coins, the event that “both

heads” is given by the set {HH} and the
sample space is the set {HH, HT, TH, TT}.
𝒏(𝑬) 𝟏
𝑷 𝑬 = = = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟓 𝒐𝒓 𝟐𝟓%
𝒏(𝑺) 𝟒
 EXAMPLE 2

Moira collects stamps from different countries. She

has 10 different stamps from China, 5 from Thailand,
3 from France, 6 from USA, and 1 from Venezuela.
Her sister Lindsay borrows one stamp for a school
assignment. What is the probability that the stamp
Lindsay borrows is from Thailand?
SOLUTION:

𝒏(𝑬) 𝟓
𝑷 𝑬 = =
𝒏(𝑺) 𝟏𝟎 + 𝟓 + 𝟑 + 𝟔 + 𝟏
The probability
𝟓 𝟏 that the stamp
= = Lindsay borrows is
𝟐𝟓 𝟓 from Thailand is
20%.
EXAMPLE 3

Jess has a bag with 6 red, 4

blue, and 8 green marbles.
What is the probability that a
marble chosen at random is
NOT red?
SOLUTION:

𝒏(𝑬) 𝟒+𝟖
𝑷 𝑬 = =
𝒏(𝑺) 𝟔 + 𝟒 + 𝟖
The probability
𝟏𝟐 𝟐 that a marble
= = chosen at random
𝟏𝟖 𝟑 is not red is
66.67%.
EXAMPLE 4:

How about the probability

that the marble chosen at
a random is RED?
SOLUTION:

𝒏(𝑬) 𝟔
𝑷 𝑬 = =
𝒏(𝑺) 𝟔 + 𝟒 + 𝟖
𝟔 𝟏 The probability
= = that a marble
𝟏𝟖 𝟑
chosen at
random is red
is 33.33%.
EXAMPLE 5:

Lawrence is the captain of his track team. The team is

deciding on a color and all eight members wrote their choice
down on equal size cards. If Lawrence picks one card at
random, what is the probability that he will pick blue?
Number of blues = 3
3/8 or 0.375 or 37.5%
Total cards = 8
blue blue

green black
yellow
blue
red black
EXAMPLE 6:

A box contains 4 red balls, 5 blue balls,

and 3 green balls. A ball is drawn at
random. Find the probability that the
ball is either red or green.
SOLUTION:

𝟒
Probability of the ball being red:
𝟏𝟐
𝟑
Probability of the ball being green :
𝟏𝟐
Therefore, the probability of either red or
𝟒 𝟑 𝟕
green ball is: + = = 58.33%
𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐
EXAMPLE 7

A die is rolled and a coin is tossed, find

the probability that the die shows an
odd number and the coin shows a
head.
SOLUTION:

𝟑 𝟏 𝟑 𝟏
𝒙 = =
𝟔 𝟐 𝟏𝟐 𝟒
SEATWORK: Copy and answer on your alpha
notebook. (MAXIMUM OF 30 MINS ONLY)

1. Sam and Joan are playing a

tennis match. If the probability of
Sam's win is 0.59, then find the
probability of Joan's win.
2. One card is drawn from a
standard deck of cards. What
is the probability that it is a
face card?
3. A pair of dice is rolled.
What is the probability of
getting doubles?
4-5. A box contains 5 red
balls, 6 blue balls, and 4 green
balls. A ball is drawn at random.
Find the probability that the ball is:
(a) either blue or green
(b) red and blue