STATISTICS - Section 1

 

Probability 3

 

 

Non-Mutually Exclusive Events

cards

dice

dominoes

 

 

 

 

Non-Mutually Exclusive Events ('Compatible')

 

Two or more 'non-mutually exclusive' events can occur at the same time.

 

In every case one event does not prevent the other happening.

 

The probability of either one OR both events occuring is:

 

 

 

 

where,

 

 P(A ∪ B) is the probability of event OR event   happening at the same time

 P(A ∩ B) is the probability of event AND event   happening at the same time

 

 

 

Example #1

 

What is the probability of getting a black card OR an Ace by drawing one card from a 52 deck.

 

 

P(Black) = 26/52 = 1/2

 

P(Ace) = 4/52 = 1/13

 

P(Black ∩ Ace) = 1/2 x 1/13 = 1/26
i.e. Black and Ace, the Ace of Clubs & the Ace of Spades

 

 

using,

P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A ∩ B)

 

P(Black ∪ Ace) = P(Black) + P(Ace) - P(Black ∩ Ace)

 

P(Black ∪ Ace) = 26/52 + 4/52 - 1/26

 

P(Black ∪ Ace) = 30/52 - 2/52 = 28/52 = 7/13

 

 

A card can either be Black or Ace or both (i.e. a Black Ace).

 

So that's why we need to subtract the probability of a card being both Black AND Ace .

 

This card has already been accounted for in the probability of the card being Black AND the probability of the card being Ace.

 

 

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Example #2

 

For a 6 sided die, what is the probability of obtaining an even number OR a number greater than 3?

 

 

Both events, A and B, occur when either a 4 or 6 are thrown:

 

A - the event of getting an even number (2, 4, 6)

 

B - the event of getting a number greater than 3 (4, 5, 6)

 

 

P(A) = 3/6 = 1/2

 

P(B) = 3/6 = 1/2

 

P(A ∩ B) = 1/4

 

using,

P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A ∩ B)

 

 

P(A ∪ B) = 1/2 + 1/2 - 1/4 = 3/4

 

 

 

 

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Example #3

 

For a set of dominoes, what is the probability of choosing one domino and it containg a 5 or any double?

 

 

P(5) = 7/28 = 1/4 ( 5,0   5,1   5,2   5,3   5,4   5,5   5,6 )

 

P(double) = 7/28 = 1/4 ( 0,0   1,1   2,2   3,3   4,4   5,5   6,6 )

 

P(5 double) = 1/16

 

using,

P(A) ∪ P(B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A ∩ B)

 

 

P(5) ∪ P(double) = P(5) + P(double) - P(5 ∩ double)

 

P(5) ∪ P(double) = 1/4 + 1/4 - 1/16 = 4/16 + 4/16 - 1/16 = 7/16

 

 

 

 

 

 

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