4.

3 Independent events and the

multiplication law
Two events are said to be independent if either can occur
without being affected by the occurrence of the other.

P( A and B)  P( A  B)  P( A)  P( B)

P( A  B  C  ...)  P( A)  P( B)  P(C )  ...

Find the probability that the sum of the scores on three
rolls of an ordinary fair die is less than 5.

1,2,3,4,5,6 1,1,1 1,1, 2

1,2,3,4,5,6 1, 2,1 2,1,1
1,2,3,4,5,6 6  6  6  216
Find the probability that the sum of the scores on three
rolls of an ordinary fair die is less than 5.

P(sum  5)  P(3)  P(4) 1,1,1 1,1, 2

P( sum  3) 
1 1, 2,1 2,1,1
216
1 3 1
3 P( sum  5)   
P( sum  4)  216 216 54
216
Abha passes through three independent sets of traffic lights
when she drives to work. The probability that she has to
stop at any particular set of lights is 0.2.
Find the probability that Abha:
a first has to stop at the second set of lights

b has to stop at exactly one set of lights

c has to stop any set of lights.

Abha passes through three independent sets of traffic lights
when she drives to work. The probability that she has to
stop at any particular set of lights is 0.2.
Find the probability that Abha:
a first has to stop
at the second set of lights

P( NS and S )  0.8  0.2  0.16

Find the probability that Abha:
b has to stop at exactly one set of lights
P(has to stop at exactly 1 set of lights ) 0.2
0.2
 P( SXX )
 P( XSX )
 P( XXS )
P(has to stop at exactly 1 set of lights )
 P(SXX )  P( XSX )  P( XXS ) 0.2
0.2
 0.2  0.8  0.8
0.8  0.2  0.8
0.8  0.8  0.2
 0.384
c has to stop any set of lights.

P(has to stop)  P(S )  P( XS )  P( XXS )

P(has to stop)
 1  P(does not have to stop)
 1  P( XXX )
 1  0.8  0.488
3
Application of the multiplication law
P( A and B)  P( A  B)  P( A)  P( B)
If A and B are independent.
Events J,K and L are independent. Given that
P( J )  0.5 P( K )  0.6 P( J  L)  0.24
P( J  K )  P( J )  P( K )  0.5  0.6  0.3
0.24
P( L)   0.48 P( J  L)  P( J )  P( L)
0.5
 0.288
P( K  L)  P( K )  P( L)  0.6  0.48