Probability Definitions and Principles

The Multiplication Principle. If there are:

n1 outcomes of a random experiment E1
n2 outcomes of a random experiment E2
... and ...
nm outcomes of a random experiment Em
then there are n1 n2 ... nm outcomes of the composite
experiment E1E2 ... Em.

Definition. A permutation of n objects taken r at a time is an ordered arrangement of n different

objects in r positions. The number of such permutations is:
nPr=

( (nrn ! )! )

Definition. The number of unordered subsets, called a combination of n objects taken r at a

time, is:
n!
nCr= n =
r
r ! (nr) !

()(

We say n choose r.

Definition. Given n objects with

r of one type, and
n r of another type
there are:
n!
nCr= n =
r
r ! (nr) !

()(

distinguishable permutations of
the n objects.

Definition. The number of distinguishable permutations of n objects, of

which:
n1 are of one type
n2 are of a second type
... and ...
nk are of the last type

and n = n1 + n2 + ... + nk is given by:

n!

(n n nn n )=( n ! n ! n ! ... n ! )
1

Definition. The conditional probability of an event A given that an event B has occurred is
written:
P(A | B)
and is calculated using:
P( A B)
P( AB)=
P (B)
as long as P(B) > 0.

Definition. The probability that two events A and B both occur is given by the multiplication
rule as:
P(A B) = P(A | B) P(B)
or by:
P(A B) = P(B | A) P(A)