Activity10 Conditional Probability
Activity10 Conditional Probability
Conditional Probability
OBJECTIVE
To explain the computation of conditional probabilities of a given event A, when event B has already
occurred through an example of throwing a pair of dice.
MATERIAL REQUIRED
▪ A drawing board
▪ A white paper sheet
▪ Board pins, pencil and scale
▪ A pair of dice
QUESTION
Find the conditional probability of an event A if an event B has already occurred: where event A is “a
number 4 is appearing on both the dice” and event B is the event “4 has appeared on at least one of the
dice” i.e. we are to find P(A/B)
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
1. Take a drawing board and place it on a table. Fix the white paper sheet on it with drawing pins.
2. Draw a big square of (6cm×6cm) size. Divided into 36 squares of size (1cm×1cm).
3. When we toss a pair of dice, 36 outcomes are 1,1;1,2;1, 3; write these pair of numbers in the 36
squares as shown in figure.
DEMONSTRATION
1. We are tossing a pair of dice. It’s all possible outcomes have been shown in figure. Hence this figure
represents the sample space of the experiment of throwing a dice once.
2. We are given event A if an event B has already occurred: where event A is “a number 4 is appearing on
both the dice” and event B is the event “4 has appeared on at least one of the dice”
i.e. we are to find P(A/B)
3. Number outcomes favourable to A is only one i.e. (4,4) shade it.
4. Number outcomes favourable to B are (4,1), (4,2), (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (4,6) shade it.
5. (a) Hence number of outcomes favourable to event A=1
(b) Number of outcomes favourable to event B=11
(c) Number of outcomes favourable to event A B =the double shaded outcome (4,4)=1
(d) Total number of outcomes=36
(e) n(A) = 1, n(B) = 11, n(A B) = 1, n(S) = 36
n(B) 11
6. (a) P(B) = =
n(S) 36
n(A B) 1
(b) P(A B) = =
n(S) 36
1
P(A B) 36 1
(c) P(A /B) = = =
P(S) 11 11
36
OBSERVATION
1. Outcome favourable to event A =1, n(A)=1
2. Outcome favourable to event B =11, n(B)=11
3. Outcome favourable to event A B =1,n( A B )=1
1
4. P( A B )=
36
P(A B) 1
5. P(A/B)= =
P(B) 11
APPLICATION
This activity explains the concept of conditional activity because when we shade the outcomes of event A
and event B, the common shaded area gives us outcomes of A B .