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Set Notation & Conditional Probability Simplified Revision Notes

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3.2.1 Set Notation & Conditional Probability

Notation of Sets

Universal Set E\mathcal{E}

The rectangular boundary represents the universal set, containing all elements under consideration.

Empty Set \emptyset

The empty set contains no elements, denoted as={} \emptyset = \{\}.

image

Intersection ABA \cap B

  • This is the set of elements common to both sets A and B.
  • It is represented by the shaded area where both circles overlap. image

Union ABA \cup B

  • This is the set of elements that belong to either set A or set B, or both.
  • The entire area covered by both circles is shaded. image

Complement A'

  • This represents the set of all elements not in A.
  • The entire area outside circle A is shaded, including the area of B. image

Examples

infoNote

Example: Shade ABA \cup B Step 1: Shade AA.

Step 2: Shade BB.

infoNote

Example: Shade ABA' \cap B' In other words:

Shade the overlapping region of AA' and BB'.


Mutually Exclusive & Independent Events

Mutually Exclusive Events

If two events AA and BB are mutually exclusive, this means they cannot occur at the same time, i.e.,

AB=A \cap B = \emptyset P(AB)=0P(A \cap B) = 0

Independent Events

Two events are independent if the outcome of one does not affect the probability of the outcome of the other.

Example: Spinning two different spinners.

P(AB)=P(A)P(B)P(A \cap B) = P(A)P(B)

The number of elements in a set AA is denoted n(A)n(A) or A|A|.

Example:

If A={1,2,4}A = \{1, 2, 4\},

n(A)=A=3n(A) = |A| = 3


Worked Venn Diagram Example

infoNote

Example Question

Consider that

  • P(A)=0.25P(A) = 0.25

  • P(B)=0.4P(B) = 0.4

  • P(C)=0.45P(C) = 0.45

  • P(ABC)=0.1P(A \cap B \cap C) = 0.1 Given that:

  • A and B are independent

  • B and C are independent

  • ABC=A \cap B' \cap C = \emptyset (where B' denotes the complement of B)


Questions:

a) Draw a Venn diagram to illustrate the probabilities.

b) Find:

  • P(A(BC))P(A' \cap (B' \cup C))
  • P((AB)C)P((A \cup B) \cap C) c) State, with reasons, whether events AA' and CC are independent.

Worked Solutions

a) Draw a Venn diagram to illustrate the probabilities.

Step 1: The Venn diagram is drawn with labelled probabilities in each region.


b) Find:

  • P(A(BC))P(A' \cap (B' \cup C))

Step 1: Understand the Event

We need to find the probability of the event A(BC)A′∩(B′∪C)

This represents the regions where the complement of AA (i.e., everything outside AA) overlaps with the union of BB' (the complement of BB') and CC (inside or outside CC).


Step 2: Identify the Regions

We break down BCB′∪C into the areas covered by BB' (the complement of BB) or CC, then find where this intersects with AA'.

The relevant regions are:

  • ABA′∩B′ (outside AA and outside BB)
  • ABCA′∩B∩C (outside AA, inside BB, and inside CC)
  • ABCA′∩B'∩C (outside AA, outside BB, and inside CC)

Step 3: Add the Probabilities

To find P(A(BC))P(A' \cap (B' \cup C)), sum the probabilities of the regions:

  • P(AB)=0.27P(A′∩B′) = 0.27
  • P(ABC)=0.08P(A′∩B∩C) = 0.08
  • P(ABC)=0.18P(A′∩B'∩C) = 0.18

Step 4: Calculate the Total

Add the probabilities of these regions:

0.27+0.08+0.18=:highlight[0.53]0.27+0.08+0.18=:highlight[0.53]

Thus, P(A(BC))=:success[0.53]P(A' \cap (B' \cup C)) = :success[0.53]


b) Find:

  • P((AB)C)P((A \cup B) \cap C)

Step 1: Understand the Event

We need to find the probability of P((AB)C)P((A \cup B) \cap C)

This represents the event where either AA or BB occurs (the union of A A and BB) and where CC also occurs at the same time (the intersection with CC).


Step 2: Identify the Regions

To compute this, we focus on the overlap between C C and the union of AA and BB.

This includes two key regions:

  • ABCA∩B∩C (where all three events occur)
  • ABCA'∩B∩C (where BB and CC occur, but AA does not).

Step 3: Add the Probabilities

We now add the probabilities of these two regions:

  • P(ABC)=0.1P(A∩B∩C) = 0.1
  • P(ABC)=0.08P(A'∩B∩C) = 0.08

Step 4: Calculate the Total

Summing these probabilities gives:

0.1+0.08=:highlight[0.18]0.1+0.08=:highlight[0.18]P((AB)C)=:success[0.18]P((A \cup B) \cap C) = :success[0.18]

c) State, with reasons, whether events AA' and CC are independent.


Step 1: Understand the Condition for Independence

Two events are independent if the probability of their intersection equals the product of their individual probabilities.

This means we need to check if P(AC)=P(A)×P(C)P(A' \cap C) = P(A') \times P(C)


Step 2: Calculate P(A)P(A') and P(C)P(C)

P(A)P(A') is the complement of P(A) P(A)

Therefore,

P(A)=1P(A)P(A') = 1 - P(A)P(A)=10.25=:highlight[0.75]P(A') = 1 - 0.25 = :highlight[0.75]

We are given P(C)=0.45P(C) = 0.45


Step 3: Multiply P(A)P(A') and P(C)P(C)

Now, multiply the probabilities of AA' and CC:

P(A)×P(C)P(A') \times P(C) =0.75×0.45=:highlight[0.3375]= 0.75 \times 0.45 = :highlight[0.3375]

Step 4: Calculate P(AC) P(A' \cap C)

The probability of ACA' \cap C is found by summing the relevant regions:

P(AC)=0.27+0.08=:highlight[0.35]P(A' \cap C) = 0.27+0.08=:highlight[0.35]

Step 5: Compare the Results

Since :highlight[0.350.3375]:highlight[0.35 ≠ 0.3375]

Comparison shows that P(A)×P(C)P(AC)P(A') \times P(C) \neq P(A' \cap C).

Therefore, AA' and CC are not independent.


Conditional Probability

Two four-sided dice are thrown together, and the sum of the numbers shows is recorded

infoNote

Example Question

Part (a): A sample space diagram is drawn showing all possible outcomes of the sum of the numbers when two four-sided dice are thrown.

Part (b): Given that at least one die lands on a 33, the probability that the sum on the two dice is exactly 55 is calculated.

Part (c): A modelling assumption used in the calculations is stated.

Worked Solutions

a) Sample Space Diagram:

The sample space shows all possible sums (ranging from 22 to 88) for each possible pair of rolls between the two dice.

b) Conditional Probability:

The diagram highlights the outcomes where at least one die shows a 33, excluding all cases where no 3s3's are present.

There are 77 possible outcomes remaining, with 22 of them summing to 55.

The probability is therefore 27\frac{2}{7}.

c) Modelling Assumption:

The assumption made is that the outcome on each die is equally likely, meaning the dice are fair.

infoNote

Example Question

  • A school has 7575 students in Year 1212.
  • Of these students:
  • 2525 study only humanities subjects (HH).
  • 3737 study only science subjects (SS).
  • 1111 students study both science and humanities subjects.
  • Students are categorized into those who study humanities (HH), science (SS), and those who do not study either (DNSHDNSH - Do Not Study Humanities, DNSSDNSS - Do Not Study Science).

Questions

a) Draw a two-way table to represent this information.

b) Find the following probabilities:

  • P(SH)P(S' \cap H')
  • P(SH)P(S|H')
  • P(HS)P(H|S')

Worked Solutions

a) Draw a two-way table to represent this information.

The table is constructed with rows representing whether students study science (SSSS) or do not study science (DNSSDNSS).

The columns represent whether students study humanities (SHSH) or do not study humanities (DNSHDNSH).

The entries in the table represent the number of students in each category:

  • 1111 students study both science and humanities.
  • 2525 study only humanities.
  • 3737 study only science.
  • The total number of students is 7575.

b) Find the following probabilities:

  • P(SH)P(S' \cap H') This is the probability of students who do not study science and do not study humanities.

Using the table

P(SH)=:success[275]P(S' \cap H') = :success[\frac{2}{75}]

b) Find the following probabilities:

  • P(SH)P(S|H') This is the probability of students studying science given that they do not study humanities.

Using the table

P(SH)=:success[1136] P(S|H') = :success[\frac{11}{36}]

b) Find the following probabilities:

  • P(HS)P(H|S') This is the probability of students studying humanities given that they do not study science.

Using the table

P(HS)=:success[2527] P(H|S') = :success[\frac{25}{27}]
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