MODULE 7: PROBABILITY OF

COMPOUND EVENTS
LESSON 3: Mutually Exclusive Events and
Not Mutually Exclusive Events
Mutually Exclusive Events and Not Mutually Exclusive Events:
OBJECTIVES:

a. Understand the definition of mutually exclusive events

and not mutually exclusive events.
b. Illustrate the method of solving the probability of
mutually and not mutually exclusive events
c. Solve problems involving mutually and not mutually
exclusive events
RECALL
Activity : Intersection and Union of Events

The extracurricular activities in which the Senior class in

Kananga National High School participate are shown in the
Venn diagram.
DRAMA BAND
30
38 51
10
4 8

137
ATHETICS
67
QUESTIONS

1. How many students are there in

the senior class?
- There are 345 students

2. How many students participate

in athletics?
- There are 159 students
3. If a student randomly chosen, what is the probability that the
student participate in athletics or drama?
 
- P(A or D) =

3. If a student randomly chosen, what is the probability that the

student participate in drama or band?
 
- P(D or B) =
Mutually Exclusive Events

Mutually Exclusive Events - are events that have no

outcomes in common. This is also means that if two
or more events are mutually exclusive, they cannot
happen at the same time.
Example

A bowl contains 15 chips numbered 1 to 15. if a

chip is drawn randomly from the bowl, what is the
probability that it is 5 or a number divisible by 3?

3 6
5 9 15
12
Event A – getting a 5 Event B – a number divisible by 3
P(5) =
 
P(divisible by 3) =
 

P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B)

P(5 or divisible by 3) = P(5) + P(divisible by 3)

 
= +
 
=
Not Mutually Exclusive Events

If two events, A and B are not mutually exclusive

events then the probability that either A or B
occurs. Sum of their possibilities, in symbols:
P(A or B) = P(A) +P(B) – P(A and B)
Example

A bowl contains 15 chips numbered 1 to 15. if a

chip is drawn randomly from the bowl, what is the
probability that a ruby or divisible by 4?

15 12 15 4
12 3
3 4 12
9 9 8
6 8 6
 Event A – a number divisible by 3 Event B – a number divisible by 4
P(divisible by 3) =
 
P(divisible by 4) =
 

 
P(A and B) =

P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A and B)

P(divisible by 3 or divisible by 4) = P(divisible by 3) + P(divisible by 4) – P(divisible by 3) + P(divisible by 4)

 
= +
 
=
Seatwork

Out of 240 students, 176 are on the honor roll,

48 are members of varsity team, and 36 are in
the honor roll and also members of the varsity
team. What is the probability that arandom
selected student is on the honor roll or is a
member of the varsity team?
 Event A – honor roll Event B – varsity member
P(HR) =
 
P(VM) =
 

 
P(A and B) =

P(A or B) = P(HR) + P(VM) – P(HR and VM)

P(HR or VM) = +
 
–

     
=– = =
Mutually Exclusive Events

P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B)

Not Mutually Exclusive Events

P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A and B)

Activity 6: Mutually or Not
Consider each problem below. Draw a Venn Diagram for each. Determine whether
the events are mutually exclusive or not mutually exclusive, then find the
probability.

1. Mario has 45 red chips, 12 blue chips and 24 white chips. What is
the probability that Mario randomly selects a red chip or a white
chip?

2. Ruby’s dog has 8 puppies. The puppies include 2 white females, 3

mixed-color females, 1 white mate, and 2 mixed-color males. Ruby
wants to keep one puppy. What is the probability that she chooses
a puppy that is female and white?
Assignment

Activity 7: Counting Techniques and probability

of Compound Events pg. 338