Probability of A and B (2 of 2)
Next section: Probability of A or B
If A and B are Not Independent
If A and B are not independent, then the probability of A and B is:
p(A
and B) = p(A) x p(B|A)
where p(B|A) is the
conditional
probability of B given A.
If someone draws a card at random from a deck
and then, without replacing the first card, draws a second card, what
is the probability that both cards will be aces? Event A is that the
first card is an ace. Since 4 of the 52 cards are aces, p(A) = 4/52
= 1/13. Given that the first card is an ace, what is the probability
that the second card will be an ace as well? Of the 51 remaining cards,
3 are aces. Therefore, p(B|A) = 3/51 = 1/17 and the probability of A
and B is:
1/13 x 1/17 = 1/221.
Next section: Probability of A or B