Takes you to places where you belong.

PROBABILITY
Definition:
Probability is the ratio of the number of favourable cases to the total of
equally likely cases.
Thus, if a uniform coin is tossed, the probability (or chance) of getting a head
is ½ as there are two equally likely events viz., getting a head or tail.

If the probability of an event happening is p, the probability of the event not

happening is 1-p.

Probability always lies between 0 and 1, i.e. 0 ≤ p ≤ 1.

The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment is called sample space(s).

The event specified is a subject of the sample space and is denoted by (E).
Probability of an event is

n(E)
P(E) = *
n(S)

Mutually exclusive Events:

Two events are mutually exclusive if the occurrence of the one excluded the
simultaneous occurrence of the other. For example, if a coin is thrown, getting a
head and getting a tail are mutually exclusive.

Independent Events:
Two events are independent if the occurrence or non-occurrence of the one
does not affect the other.

Example:
If two dice are thrown simultaneously, the number that one die shows and
the number that the other die shows are independent events.

Addition of probabilities:
In two events A and B are mutually exclusive, then the probability of A or B
happening is equal to the sum of the probability of A occurring and the probability of
B occurring i.e., P(A or B) =P(A) + P(B). This holds good for three or more mutually
exclusive events.
If two events are not mutually exclusive, the probability of occurrence of A or
B is P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A and B).

Multiplication of Probabilities:
If two events are independent the probability that both will occur is the
product of their individual probabilities i.e.,

P(A and B) = P(A) x P(B)

This can be extended to three or more independent events A, B, C …… etc.

 ENTRANCEGURU.COM Private Limited

53314233.doc
-1-
Takes you to places where you belong.

Conditional Probability:
If the occurrence of an event is related to the occurrence of another event,
the occurrence of both events simultaneously is called a dependent compound event.

The notation P(A ∩ B) or simply P(AB) is used to denote the probability of the
joint occurrence of the events A and B. If the events are independent P(AB) = P(A) x
P(B)
When events A and B are not independent.

P(B) P(A)
P(AB) = P(A) = P(B)
A B
The probability of occurrence of the event B when it is known that event A
has already occurred is called conditional Probability of B and is given by
(B) n(A ∩ B)
P = .
(A) n(A)

 ENTRANCEGURU.COM Private Limited

53314233.doc
-2-