Conditional Probability and Independence - Statistics and Probability

  1. State an equivalent independence condition using only P(A∩B)P(A\cap B), P(A)P(A), and P(B)P(B).
    AA and BB are independent if P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B). Product rule holds when events don't influence each other.
  2. Decide whether AA and BB are independent: P(A)=0.5P(A)=0.5, P(B)=0.4P(B)=0.4, P(A∩B)=0.2P(A\cap B)=0.2.
    Independent, since P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B)=0.2P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B)=0.2. Checks if P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B): 0.2=0.5×0.40.2=0.5\times 0.4 ✓.
  3. State the multiplication rule that expresses P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) using P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) and P(B)P(B).
    P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A\mid B)P(B). Rearranges the conditional probability formula.
  4. Find P(B∣A)P(B\mid A) if AA and BB are independent and P(B)=0.15P(B)=0.15.
    P(B∣A)=0.15P(B\mid A)=0.15. Independence means P(B∣A)=P(B)P(B\mid A)=P(B).
  5. Identify the error: A student writes P(A∣B)=P(A∪B)P(B)P(A\mid B)=\frac{P(A\cup B)}{P(B)}. What is the correction?
    Use P(A∣B)=P(A∩B)P(B)P(A\mid B)=\frac{P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}. Union ∪\cup should be intersection ∩\cap.
  6. What does the notation P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) mean in words?
    Probability that AA occurs given that BB has occurred. The vertical bar means "given" or "assuming."
  7. State the independence rule that connects P(A∩B)P(A\cap B), P(A)P(A), and P(B)P(B).
    If independent, P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B). For independent events, joint probability equals product of individual probabilities.
  8. Find P(B)P(B) given P(A∩B)=0.18P(A\cap B)=0.18 and P(A∣B)=0.30P(A\mid B)=0.30.
    P(B)=0.6P(B)=0.6. Rearranges P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A\mid B)P(B) to solve for P(B)=0.180.30P(B)=\frac{0.18}{0.30}.
  9. Decide whether AA and BB are independent if P(A)=0.40P(A)=0.40 and P(A∣B)=0.25P(A\mid B)=0.25.
    Not independent. Since 0.25≠0.400.25\neq 0.40, conditioning changes probability.
  10. Find P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) given P(A∣B)=0.25P(A\mid B)=0.25 and P(B)=0.60P(B)=0.60.
    P(A∩B)=0.15P(A\cap B)=0.15. Uses multiplication rule: P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)P(B)=0.25×0.60P(A\cap B)=P(A\mid B)P(B)=0.25\times 0.60.
  11. Find P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) if P(A∣B)=0.25P(A\mid B)=0.25 and P(B)=0.60P(B)=0.60.
    0.150.15. Multiply: P(A∩B)=0.25×0.60=0.15P(A\cap B)=0.25\times 0.60=0.15.
  12. What is the definition of independence using conditional probability P(B∣A)P(B\mid A)?
    If P(A)>0P(A)>0, independence means P(B∣A)=P(B)P(B\mid A)=P(B). Independence means knowing AA doesn't change the probability of BB.
  13. What is the definition of independence using conditional probability P(A∣B)P(A\mid B)?
    If P(B)>0P(B)>0, independence means P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A). Independence means knowing BB doesn't change the probability of AA.
  14. State the multiplication rule that expresses P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) using P(B∣A)P(B\mid A) and P(A)P(A).
    P(A∩B)=P(B∣A)P(A)P(A\cap B)=P(B\mid A)P(A). Alternative form using reversed conditioning.
  15. Which option is equivalent to independence: P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A) or P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A\mid B)=P(B)?
    P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A). Independence means conditioning doesn't change probability, not that they're equal.
  16. Identify the correct relationship when AA and BB are independent and P(B)>0P(B)>0.
    P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)P(B)=P(A)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A\mid B)P(B)=P(A)P(B). Substitutes P(A)P(A) for P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) when events are independent.
  17. State the formula for conditional probability P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) in terms of P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) and P(B)P(B).
    P(A∣B)=P(A∩B)P(B)P(A\mid B)=\frac{P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}, with P(B)>0P(B)>0. Divides joint probability by the condition's probability.
  18. What condition must be true for P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) to be defined?
    P(B)>0P(B)>0. Can't condition on an impossible event.
  19. Find P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) if AA and BB are independent and P(A)=0.35P(A)=0.35.
    P(A∣B)=0.35P(A\mid B)=0.35. For independent events, P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A) regardless of BB.
  20. State the independence condition using conditional probability of AA given BB.
    AA and BB are independent if P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A). Knowing BB doesn't change AA's probability.
  21. Find P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) if AA and BB are independent and P(A)=0.72P(A)=0.72.
    P(A∣B)=0.72P(A\mid B)=0.72. Independence means P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A).
  22. Find P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) given P(A∩B)=0.12P(A\cap B)=0.12 and P(B)=0.30P(B)=0.30.
    P(A∣B)=0.4P(A\mid B)=0.4. Uses P(A∣B)=P(A∩B)P(B)=0.120.30P(A\mid B)=\frac{P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}=\frac{0.12}{0.30}.
  23. Find P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) if P(A∩B)=0.12P(A\cap B)=0.12 and P(B)=0.30P(B)=0.30.
    0.40.4. Apply P(A∣B)=0.120.30=0.4P(A\mid B)=\frac{0.12}{0.30}=0.4.
  24. Find P(B)P(B) if P(A∩B)=0.09P(A\cap B)=0.09 and P(A∣B)=0.30P(A\mid B)=0.30.
    0.30.3. Rearrange: P(B)=0.090.30=0.3P(B)=\frac{0.09}{0.30}=0.3.
  25. Find P(B∣A)P(B\mid A) if AA and BB are independent and P(B)=0.80P(B)=0.80.
    P(B∣A)=0.80P(B\mid A)=0.80. For independent events, P(B∣A)=P(B)P(B\mid A)=P(B) regardless of AA.
  26. Identify the value of P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) from P(A)=0.3P(A)=0.3, P(B)=0.5P(B)=0.5, assuming independence.
    P(A∩B)=0.15P(A\cap B)=0.15. Uses independence formula: P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B)=0.3×0.5P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B)=0.3\times 0.5.
  27. Compute P(A∣B)P(A\mid B) from the table: A∩B=15A\cap B=15, Ac∩B=35A^c\cap B=35.
    P(A∣B)=1550=0.3P(A\mid B)=\frac{15}{50}=0.3. Total in BB is 15+35=5015+35=50, so P(A∣B)=1550P(A\mid B)=\frac{15}{50}.
  28. Identify the correct expression for P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) in terms of P(A)P(A) and P(B∣A)P(B\mid A).
    P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B∣A)P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B\mid A). Applies the multiplication rule correctly.
  29. Find P(A∩B)P(A\cap B) if AA and BB are independent, P(A)=0.30P(A)=0.30, and P(B)=0.40P(B)=0.40.
    0.120.12. For independent events, multiply probabilities.
  30. Which probability is updated by new information: P(A)P(A) or P(A∣B)P(A\mid B)?
    P(A∣B)P(A\mid B). Conditioning incorporates new information.
  31. Decide whether AA and BB are independent if P(A)=0.50P(A)=0.50 and P(A∣B)=0.50P(A\mid B)=0.50.
    Independent. Since P(A∣B)=P(A)P(A\mid B)=P(A), they're independent.
  32. State the independence condition using conditional probability of BB given AA.
    AA and BB are independent if P(B∣A)=P(B)P(B\mid A)=P(B). Knowing AA doesn't change BB's probability.
  33. Decide whether AA and BB are independent: P(A)=0.6P(A)=0.6, P(B)=0.5P(B)=0.5, P(A∩B)=0.25P(A\cap B)=0.25.
    Not independent, since P(A)P(B)=0.3≠0.25P(A)P(B)=0.3\ne 0.25. Checks if P(A∩B)=P(A)P(B)P(A\cap B)=P(A)P(B): 0.25≠0.6×0.5=0.30.25\ne 0.6\times 0.5=0.3 ✗.
  34. Find P(A)P(A) assuming independence, given P(A∩B)=0.14P(A\cap B)=0.14 and P(B)=0.70P(B)=0.70.
    P(A)=0.2P(A)=0.2. Uses independence: P(A)=P(A∩B)P(B)=0.140.70P(A)=\frac{P(A\cap B)}{P(B)}=\frac{0.14}{0.70}.
  35. Decide whether AA and BB are independent if P(A∩B)=0.10P(A\cap B)=0.10, P(A)=0.20P(A)=0.20, and P(B)=0.50P(B)=0.50.
    Independent. Check: 0.10=0.20×0.500.10=0.20\times 0.50 confirms independence.

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