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91Ó°ÊÓ

What is the probability of (a) an event \(A\) that is certain to occur? (b) an event \(B\) that is impossible?

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) The probability of event A is 1. (b) The probability of event B is 0.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Probability

Probability is a measure of how likely an event is to occur. It ranges between 0 and 1, where 0 indicates an impossible event and 1 indicates a certain event.
02

Probability of a Certain Event

For event \(A\), which is certain to occur, the probability is the highest possible value because there is no doubt about its occurrence. Thus, \(P(A) = 1\).
03

Probability of an Impossible Event

For event \(B\), which is impossible, the probability is the lowest possible value because there is no chance of occurrence. Therefore, \(P(B) = 0\).

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Certain Event
A certain event in probability theory is one that will definitely occur when an experiment is conducted. This type of event has no uncertainty associated with it, meaning its occurrence is guaranteed. To better understand, imagine flipping a two-sided coin you know will never land on its edge. The event of the coin landing either heads or tails is certain. In mathematical terms, this certainty translates to a probability value of 1, indicating 100% likelihood.
  • Example of a certain event is the sun rising in the east every day.
  • Rolling any number between 1 to 6 on a standard die guarantees at least one number is rolled.
In conclusion, certain events are absolute in probability, rooting from the belief that there are no other possible outcomes once the event is guaranteed to occur.
Impossible Event
An impossible event is one that will never happen, no matter how many times the experiment is repeated or how long you wait. The aspect of impossibility in these events is quite intuitive. Consider an example where one is asked to pick a red ball from a bag containing only green balls. The chance of picking a red ball is zero, and this zero probability reflects the impossibility.
  • If you were asked to find the probability of selecting a day of the week that is not Monday among a set containing only Monday, this would be an impossible event.
  • Another example is rolling a 7 with a standard six-sided die.
Impossible events are assigned a probability value of 0 within probability theory itself and represent situations where no conceivable effort can lead to the occurrence of the event.
Probability Values
The concept of probability values provides a numerical way to express the likelihood of events. Probability values range from 0 to 1, where:
  • A probability of 0 represents an impossible event.
  • A probability of 1 represents a certain event.
  • A probability between 0 and 1 represents various degrees of likelihood for events that are neither certain nor impossible.
Moreover, probability values help us assess risk, make predictions, and understand phenomena based on the frequency or logic. For instance, a probability value of 0.5, or 50%, might represent the chance of a single coin flip landing heads.
Probability finds its foundation in real-world scenarios such as games of chance, weather forecasting, and statistical modeling. By effectively using probability values, we enhance our decision-making skills in uncertain situations.

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