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Title: Probability
Description: Probability theory is a branch of mathematics that deals with the analysis of random phenomena. It has applications in various fields, including statistics, economics, finance, physics, biology, and engineering. By using probability, we can make informed decisions and predictions based on uncertain or incomplete information.

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Basic Probability

Chap 4-1

Learning Objectives
In this chapter, you learn:




Basic probability concepts
Conditional probability
To use Bayes’ Theorem to revise probabilities

Chap 4-2

Basic Probability Concepts


Probability – the chance that an uncertain event
will occur (always between 0 and 1)



Impossible Event – an event that has no
chance of occurring (probability = 0)



Certain Event – an event that is sure to occur
(probability = 1)

Chap 4-3

Assessing Probability
There are three approaches to assessing the
probability of an uncertain event:
1
...
empirical probability
probability of occurrence =

number of ways the event can occur
total number of elementary outcomes

3
...
191
total number of people
439

Chap 4-6

Subjective probability






Subjective probability may differ from person to person
 A media development team assigns a 60%
probability of success to its new ad campaign
...



Simple event





Joint event





An event described by a single characteristic
e
...
, A day in January from all days in 2013
An event described by two or more characteristics
e
...
A day in January that is also a Wednesday from all days in 2013

Complement of an event A (denoted A’)



All events that are not part of event A
e
...
, All days from 2013 that are not in January

Chap 4-8

Sample Space
The Sample Space is the collection of all
possible events
e
...
All 6 faces of a die:

e
...
All 52 cards of a bridge deck:

Chap 4-9

Organizing & Visualizing Events


Contingency Tables -- For All Days in 2013
Jan
...

Not Wed
...


5

47

52

27

286

313

32

333

365

Decision Trees
5

Sample
Space

Total

All Days

27

In 2013

47

Total
Number
Of
Sample
Space
Outcomes

286
Chap 4-10

Definition: Simple Probability


Simple Probability refers to the probability of a
simple event
...
P(Jan
...
P(Wed
...


Wed
...

Total

Not Jan
...
) = 52 / 365

P(Jan
...




ex
...
and Wed
...
P(Not Jan
...
)
Jan
...

Not Wed
...


Total

5

47

52

27

286

313

32

333

365

P(Not Jan
...
)
= 286 / 365

P(Jan
...
) = 5 / 365
Chap 4-12

Mutually Exclusive Events


Mutually exclusive events


Events that cannot occur simultaneously

Example: Randomly choosing a day from 2013
A = day in January; B = day in February


Events A and B are mutually exclusive

Chap 4-13

Collectively Exhaustive Events


Collectively exhaustive events



One of the events must occur
The set of events covers the entire sample space

Example: Randomly choose a day from 2013
A = Weekday; B = Weekend;
C = January; D = Spring;




Events A, B, C and D are collectively exhaustive
(but not mutually exclusive – a weekday can be in
January or in Spring)
Events A and B are collectively exhaustive and
also mutually exclusive
Chap 4-14

Computing Joint and
Marginal Probabilities


The probability of a joint event, A and B:
number of outcomes satisfying A and B
P( A and B) =
total number of elementary outcomes



Computing a marginal (or simple) probability:
P(A) = P(A and B1 ) + P(A and B 2 ) +  + P(A and Bk )


Where B1, B2, …, Bk are k mutually exclusive and collectively
exhaustive events
Chap 4-15

Joint Probability Example
P(Jan
...
)
=

number of days that are in Jan
...

5
=
total number of days in 2013
365

Jan
...

Not Wed
...


Total

5

47

52

27

286

313

32

333

365

Chap 4-16

Marginal Probability Example
P(Wed
...
and Wed
...
and Wed
...

Wed
...

Total

Not Jan
...
5

The sum of the probabilities of all
mutually exclusive and collectively
exhaustive events is 1
P(A) + P(B) + P(C) = 1
If A, B, and C are mutually exclusive and
collectively exhaustive

Certain

0

Impossible
Chap 4-19

General Addition Rule
General Addition Rule:
P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A and B)
If A and B are mutually exclusive, then
P(A and B) = 0, so the rule can be simplified:
P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B)
For mutually exclusive events A and B
Chap 4-20

General Addition Rule Example
P(Jan
...
) = P(Jan
...
) - P(Jan
...
)
= 32/365 + 52/365 - 5/365 = 79/365

Jan
...

Not Wed
...


Total

5

47

52

27

286

313

32

333

365

Don’t count
the five
Wednesdays
in January
twice!

Chap 4-21

Computing Conditional Probabilities


A conditional probability is the probability of one
event, given that another event has occurred:

P(A and B)
P(A | B) =
P(B)

The conditional
probability of A given
that B has occurred

P(A and B)
P(B | A) =
P(A)

The conditional
probability of B given
that A has occurred

Where P(A and B) = joint probability of A and B
P(A) = marginal or simple probability of A
P(B) = marginal or simple probability of B
Chap 4-22

Conditional Probability Example




Of the cars on a used car lot, 70% have air
conditioning (AC) and 40% have a GPS
...

What is the probability that a car has a GPS,
given that it has AC ?
i
...
, we want to find P(GPS | AC)

Chap 4-23

Conditional Probability Example
(continued)


Of the cars on a used car lot, 70% have air conditioning
(AC) and 40% have a GPS and
20% of the cars have both
...
2

0
...
7

No AC

0
...
1

0
...
4

0
...
0

P(GPS and AC) 0
...
2857
P(AC)
0
...
Of these,
20% have a GPS
...
57%
...
2

0
...
7

No AC

0
...
1

0
...
4

0
...
0

P(GPS and AC) 0
...
2857
P(AC)
0
...
2

...
5

...
2

P(AC and GPS’) = 0
...
2

...
1

...
2

P(AC’ and GPS’) = 0
...
2

...
2

...
2

P(GPS and AC’) = 0
...
5

...
1

...
5

P(GPS’ and AC’) = 0
...




Developed by Thomas Bayes in the 18th
Century
...


Chap 4-31

Bayes’ Theorem

P(A | B i )P(B i )
P(B i | A) =
P(A | B 1 )P(B 1 ) + P(A | B 2 )P(B 2 ) + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ + P(A | B k )P(B k )



where:
Bi = ith event of k mutually exclusive and collectively
exhaustive events
A = new event that might impact P(Bi)

Chap 4-32

Bayes’ Theorem Example


A drilling company has estimated a 40%
chance of striking oil for their new well
...
Historically, 60% of successful
wells have had detailed tests, and 20% of
unsuccessful wells have had detailed tests
...
4 , P(U) = 0
...
6



(prior probabilities)

P(D|U) = 0
...
6)(0
...
6)(0
...
2)(0
...
24
=
= 0
...
24 + 0
...
667
Chap 4-35

Bayes’ Theorem Example
(continued)


Given the detailed test, the revised probability
of a successful well has risen to 0
...
4

Event

Prior
Prob
...


Joint
Prob
...


S (successful)

0
...
6

(0
...
6) = 0
...
24/0
...
667

U (unsuccessful)

0
...
2

(0
...
2) = 0
...
12/0
...
333

Sum = 0
...




In this topic, you learn various counting
rules for such situations
...
There are 3 parks, 4 restaurants, and 6 movie
choices
...
How many
different ways can these books be placed on the shelf?
Answer: 5! = (5)(4)(3)(2)(1) = 120 different possibilities

Counting Rules - 5

Counting Rules
(continued)


Counting Rule 4:


Permutations: The number of ways of arranging X
objects selected from n objects in order is

n!
n Px =
(n − X)!


Example:




You have five books and are going to put three on a
bookshelf
...
How many different combinations are there, ignoring
the order in which they are selected?
Answer:

n

Cx =

n!
5!
120
=
=
= 10
X!(n − X)! 3! (5 − 3)! (6)(2)

different possibilities

Counting Rules - 7


Title: Probability
Description: Probability theory is a branch of mathematics that deals with the analysis of random phenomena. It has applications in various fields, including statistics, economics, finance, physics, biology, and engineering. By using probability, we can make informed decisions and predictions based on uncertain or incomplete information.