Addition Rules of Probability
Vocabulary
• Mutually Exclusive - Two events cannot occur at
the same time. (i.e., they have no outcomes in
common).
• Examples:
• Identify if the events are mutually exclusive or not
when rolling a die:
a. Getting an odd number and getting an even
number
b. Getting a 3 and getting an odd number
c. Getting an odd number and getting a number less
than 4
d. Getting a number greater than 4 and getting a
number less than 4
• Examples:
• Determine which events are mutually
exclusive and which are not, when a
single card is drawn from a deck.
a. Getting a 7 and getting a jack
b. Getting a club and getting a king
c. Getting a face card and getting an ace
d. Getting a face card and getting a spade
Rule No. 1
• When two events A and B are mutually
exclusive, the probability that A or B will occur
is
• Examples:
• A box contains 3 glazed doughnuts, 4 jelly
doughnuts, and 5 chocolate doughnuts. If a
person selects a doughnut at random, find the
probability that it is either a glazed doughnut
or a chocolate doughnut.
• At a political rally, there are 20 Republicans, 13
Democrats, and 6 Independents. If a person is
selected at random, find the probability that
he or she is either a Democrat or an
Independent.
Rule No. 2
• If A and B are not mutually exclusive,
then
Note: This rule can also be used when the events
are mutually exclusive, since P(A and B) will
always equal 0. However, it is important to make a
distinction between the two situations.
• In a hospital unit there are 8 nurses and 5
physicians; 7 nurses and 3 physicians are
females. If a staff person is selected, find the
probability that the subject is a nurse or a
male.
Multiplication and Conditional
Rules of Probability
Vocabulary
• Independent Events - Two events A and
B are independent events if the fact that
A occurs does not affect the probability
of B occurring.
• Examples:
• Rolling a die and getting a 6, and then
rolling a second die and getting a 3.
• Drawing a card from a deck and getting a
queen, replacing it, and drawing a
second card and getting a queen.
Rule No. 1
• When two events are independent,
the probability of both occurring is
• A coin is flipped and a die is rolled. Find the
probability of getting a head on the coin and a
4 on the die.
• A card is drawn from a deck and replaced;
then a second card is drawn. Find the
probability of getting a queen and then an
ace.
• An urn contains 3 red balls, 2 blue balls, and 5
white balls. A ball is selected and its color
noted. Then it is replaced. A second ball is
selected and its color noted. Find the
probability of each of these.
a. Selecting 2 blue balls
b. Selecting 1 blue ball and then 1 white ball
c. Selecting 1 red ball and then 1 blue ball
Vocabulary
• Dependent Events - When the outcome or
occurrence of the first event affects the outcome or
occurrence of the second event in such a way that
the probability is changed.
• Examples:
• Drawing a card from a deck, not replacing it, and
then drawing a second card.
• Selecting a ball from an urn, not replacing it, and
then selecting a second ball.
• Being a lifeguard and getting a suntan.
• Having high grades and getting a scholarship.
• Parking in a no-parking zone and getting a parking
ticket.
Rule No. 2
When two events are dependent, the
probability of both occurring is
• Three cards are drawn from an ordinary deck
and not replaced. Find the probability of these
events.
a. Getting 3 jacks
b. Getting an ace, a king, and a queen in order
c. Getting a club, a spade, and a heart in order
Vocabulary
• Conditional Probability – event B occurs
after event A has already occurred.
Usually represented by P(B l A)
• A recent survey asked 100 people if they thought
women in the armed forces should be permitted to
participate in combat. The results of the survey are
shown.
Find these probabilities.
a. The respondent answered yes, given that the
respondent was a female.
b. The respondent was a male, given that the respondent
answered no.
