Quiz - Topic 3

Name___________________________________

PROBLEM SOLVING QUESTION

Human Performance (Vol. 23, 2010) published the results of a study that found that arrogant
workers are more likely to have poor performance ratings. Suppose that 15% of all full-time
workers exhibit arrogant behaviors on the job and that 10% of all full-time workers will
receive a poor performance rating. Also, assume that 5% of all full-time workers exhibit
arrogant behaviors and receive a poor performance rating. Let A be the event that a full-time
worker exhibits arrogant behavior on the job. Let B be the event that a full-time worker will
receive a poor performance rating.

(a) Are the events A and B mutually exclusive? Explain.

(b) Find P(B|A).

(c) Are the events A and B independent? Explain

Solution:

From the Exercise, 𝑃(𝐴) = .15, 𝑃(𝐵) = .10, and 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = .05.

(a) If events A and B are mutually exclusive then 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = 0. For this problem, 𝑃(𝐴 ∩
𝐵) = .05. Therefore, events A and B are not mutually exclusive.

𝑃(𝐴∩𝐵) .05
(b) 𝑃(𝐵|𝐴) = = .15 = .333
𝑃(𝐴)

(c) Events A and B are independent if 𝑃(𝐵|𝐴) = 𝑃(𝐵). For this exercise, 𝑃(𝐵|𝐴) = .333
and 𝑃(𝐵) = .10. Since these are not equal, events A and B are not independent.