Section 2.7 independent Events 47 Itis of interest to note that three or more:events can be pairwise independent without being independent. EXAMPLE 2.23 Figure 2.8 shows a Venn diagram with probabilities assigned to its various regions. Verify that 4 and & are independent, A and C are independent, and B and C are independent, but A, B, and C are not independent. Solution Ascanbe seen from the diagram, P(A) = P(B) = P(C) = }, P(ANB) = P(ANC) = P(BNC) = },and P(AN BNC) = }. Thus, 1 P(A): P(B) P(ANB) P(A). P(C) = PIANC) P(B) PIC) =F = PBC) but : P(A): P(B): P(C) = 5 # PLAN BNC) a Incidentally, the preceding example can be given a “real” interpretation by considering a large room that has three separate switches controlling the ceiling lights. These lights will be on when all three switches are “up” and hence also when one of the switches is “up” and the other two are “down.” If A is the event that the first switch is “up,” B is the event that the second switch is “up,” andC is the event that the third switch is “up,” the Venn diagram of Figure 2.8 shows a possible set of probabilities associated with the switches being “up” or “down” when the ceiling Yights are on, FIGURE 2.8: Venn diagram for Example 2.23.