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Given that the probability of event A is 0.3, the …

Mathematics Questions

Given that the probability of event A is 0.3, the probability of event B is 0.6, and the probability of either event A or B is 0.8, why are the events not mutually exclusive? A. The sum of P(A) and P(B) is less than P(A or B). B. The product of P(A) and P(B) is less than P(A or B). C. The product of P(A) and P(B) is not equal to P(A or B). D. The sum of P(A) and P(B) is not equal to P(A or B).

Short Answer

Mutually exclusive events cannot occur simultaneously, meaning if one event happens, the other cannot. To determine if two events A and B are mutually exclusive, check if the probability P(A AND B) is zero; if not, they can occur together, confirming they are not mutually exclusive.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Understand Mutually Exclusive Events

Mutually exclusive events are defined as events that cannot occur at the same time. If one event happens, the other cannot. For events A and B to be mutually exclusive, the probability of both events occurring together, represented as P(A AND B), must be equal to zero.

Step 2: Analyze the Probabilities

To determine if events A and B are mutually exclusive, compare the value of P(A AND B) with zero. If P(A AND B) ‚a† 0, it indicates that both events can occur simultaneously, proving they are not mutually exclusive. In the context of your problem, check the values of:

  • P(A)
  • P(B)
  • P(A AND B)

Step 3: Interpret the Results

After analyzing the probabilities, if you find that the product of P(A) and P(B) is not equal to P(A or B), it confirms that events A and B are not mutually exclusive. In this case, since P(A AND B) is greater than zero, it indicates that both events can happen together, resulting in the correct conclusion that events A and B are not mutually exclusive.

Related Concepts

Mutually Exclusive Events

Events that cannot occur at the same time, meaning if one event happens, the other cannot

P(A And B)

The probability of both events a and b occurring together, which must be equal to zero for the events to be mutually exclusive

P(A Or B)

The probability that either event a or event b occurs, which can help determine if events are mutually exclusive by comparing it with the product of p(a) and p(b).