Addition Theorem

If A and B are not mutually exclusive events, the probability of the occurrence of
either A or B or both is equal to the probability that event A occurs, plus the probability that
event B occurs minus the probability of occurrence of the events common to both A and B.
In other words the probability of occurrence of at least one of them is given by
𝑷 𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨 + 𝑷 𝑩 − 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩
If A, B and C are any three events then

P (A ∪ B ∪ C) = P (A) + P (B) + P (C) − P (A ∩ B) – P(B ∩C) −P (A ∩C) + P(A ∩ B ∩C)

Results:

1. 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐁 − 𝐏(𝐀Ո𝐁)
2. 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐀 − 𝐏(𝐀Ո𝐁)
3. 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁
4. 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁
5. 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = 𝟏 − 𝐏(𝐀Ո𝐁)
6. 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁 = 𝟏 − 𝐏(𝐀Ս𝐁)

1.If 𝑷 𝑨 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟓, 𝑷 𝑩 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒, find (i). 𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑩 (ii). 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁
(iii). 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 (iv). 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁 (v). 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁 .

Solution:

Given, 𝑷 𝑨 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟓, 𝑷 𝑩 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒

(i). 𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑩
𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨 + 𝑷 𝑩 − 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩
= 𝟎. 𝟑𝟓 + 𝟎. 𝟕𝟑 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒
= 𝟎. 𝟗𝟒
(ii). 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁
𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐁 − 𝐏(𝐀Ո𝐁)
= 𝟎. 𝟕𝟑 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒
= 𝟎. 𝟓𝟗
(iii). 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁
𝐏 𝑨Ո𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐀 − 𝐏(𝐀Ո𝐁)
= 𝟎. 𝟑𝟓 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒
= 𝟎. 𝟐𝟏
(iv). 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁
𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁 = 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁

𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = 𝟏 − 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁

= 𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒

= 𝟎. 𝟖𝟔
(v). 𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁
𝐏 𝐀Ս𝐁 = 𝟏 − 𝐏(𝐀Ս𝐁)

= 𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟗𝟒

= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟔
2. A card is drawn at random from a well shuffled deck of 52 cards. Find the probability of
drawing (i). A King or Queen (ii). A King or a Spade (iii). A King or a Black card.
Solution:
Let S be the sample space of the experiment.

n(S) = 52
(i). Let A be the event “ Getting a King Card “
A = {Club- 1, Spade-1, Heart-1, Diamond-1 }
n(A)=4
Let B be the event “ Getting a Queen Card “
B = {Club- 1, Spade-1, Heart-1, Diamond-1 }
n(B)=4

Probability of getting a King or Queen card, 𝑷 𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑩 = 𝑷(𝑨Ս𝑩)

A and B are Mutually Exclusive. There is no common term between A and B.

(i.e), 𝑨Ո𝑩 = Փ

𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨 + 𝑷 𝑩
𝑛(𝐴) 𝑛(𝐵)
= +
𝑛(𝑆) 𝑛(𝑆)
4 4
= +
52 52
8
=
52
= 0.1538
(ii). Let A be the event “ Getting a King Card “
A = {Club- 1, Spade-1, Heart-1, Diamond-1 }
n(A)=4
Let C be the event “ Getting a Spade Card “
C = {Spade- A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K }
n(C)=13

Probability of getting a King or Spade card, 𝑷 𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑪 = 𝑷(𝑨Ս𝑪)

A and C are not Mutually Exclusive. There is a common term between A and C.

(i.e), 𝑨Ո𝑪 ≠ Փ

(i.e), 𝑨Ո𝑪 = { 𝑲 }

n(AՈC) = 1
Addition Theorem
𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑪 = 𝑷 𝑨 + 𝑷 𝑪 − 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑪
 𝑛(𝐴) 𝑛(𝐶) 𝑛(𝐴Ո𝐶)
= + −
𝑛(𝑆) 𝑛(𝑆) 𝑛(𝑆)
4 13 1
= + −
52 52 52
16
=
52
= 0.3076
(iii). Let A be the event “ Getting a King Card “
A = {Club- 1, Spade-1, Heart-1, Diamond-1 }
n(A)=4
Let D be the event “ Getting a Black Card “
C = {Spade- A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K
Club - A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K }
n(D)=26

Probability of getting a King or Black card, 𝑷 𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑫 = 𝑷(𝑨Ս𝑫)

A and D are not Mutually Exclusive. There is a common term between A and D.

(i.e), 𝑨Ո𝑫 ≠ Փ

(i.e), 𝑨Ո𝑫 = { 𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒅𝒆 − 𝑲, 𝑪𝒍𝒖𝒃 − 𝑲 }

n(AՈD) = 2
Addition Theorem
𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑫 = 𝑷 𝑨 + 𝑷 𝑫 − 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑫
𝑛(𝐴) 𝑛(𝐷) 𝑛(𝐴Ո𝐷)
= + −
𝑛(𝑆) 𝑛(𝑆) 𝑛(𝑆)
4 26 2
= + −
52 52 52
28
=
52
= 0.5384
3. A card is drawn at random from a well shuffled deck of 52 cards. Find the probability of
drawing (i). A Queen or a Club (ii). A Queen or a Red card.
4. The probability that a girl will get an admission in IIT is 0.16, the probability that she
will get an admission in Government Medical College is 0.24 and the probability that she
will get both is 0.11. Find the probability that (i). She will get atleast one of the 2 seats
(ii). She will get only one of the 2 sets.
Solution:
Let A be the event “Getting an admission in IIT “
P(A) = 0.16
Let B be the event “Getting an admission in Government Medical College “
P(B) = 0.24
Let AՈB be the event “Getting an admission in both IIT and Government Medical College “
P(AՈB) = 0.11
(i). Probability of Getting an admission in atleast one of the two seats,

𝑷 𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑩 = 𝑷(𝑨Ս𝑩)
A and B are not Mutually Exclusive. There is a common term between A and B.

(i.e), 𝑨Ո𝑩 ≠ Փ

P(AՈB) = 0.11
Addition Theorem
𝑷 𝑨Ս𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨 + 𝑷 𝑩 − 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩
= 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟒 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟏
= 𝟎. 𝟐𝟗
(ii).Probability of Getting an admission in only one of the two seats,

𝑷 (𝑨Ո𝑩) 𝒐𝒓 (𝑨Ո𝑩) = 𝑷((𝑨Ո𝑩)Ս(𝑨Ո𝑩))

𝑨Ո𝑩 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨Ո𝑩 are Mutually Exclusive.

𝑨Ո𝑩 Ո 𝑨Ո𝑩 = Փ

𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩 Ս 𝑨Ո𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩 + 𝑷(𝑨Ո𝑩)

= 𝐏 𝐀 − 𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 + 𝐏 𝐁 − 𝐏(𝐀Ո𝐁)
= 𝟎. 𝟏𝟔 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟒 − 𝟎. 𝟏𝟏
= 𝟎. 𝟏𝟖
5.In a class of 50 students, 28 opted for NCC, 30 opted for NSS and 18 opted both NCC and
NSS. One of the students is selected at random. Find the probability that (i) The student
opted for NCC but not NSS.(ii) The student opted for NSS but not NCC.(iii) The student
opted for exactly one of them.

Solution:

Let S be the sample space of the experiment.

n(S) = 50

Let A be the event “Students opted for NCC “

n(A) = 28
𝐧(𝐀) 𝟐𝟖
𝐏 𝐀 = = = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟔
𝐧(𝐒) 𝟓𝟎
Let B be the event “Students opted for NSS “
n(B) = 30
𝐧(𝐁) 𝟑𝟎
𝐏 𝐁 = = = 𝟎. 𝟔
𝐧(𝐒) 𝟓𝟎
Let AՈB be the event “Students opted for both NCC and NSS “
n(AՈB) = 18
𝐧(𝐀Ո𝐁) 𝟏𝟖
𝐏 𝐀Ո𝐁 = = = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟔
𝐧(𝐒) 𝟓𝟎

(i) Probability of the students opted for NCC but not NSS,

P (AՈ𝐁) = P (A) −P (A ∩ B)

= 0.56 – 0.36

=0.2

(ii) Probability of the students opted for NSS but not NCC,

P (𝐀Ո𝐁) = P (B) −P (A ∩ B)

= 0.6 – 0.36

= 0.24

(iii) Probability of the students opted for exactly one of them,

 𝑷 (𝑨Ո𝑩) 𝒐𝒓 (𝑨Ո𝑩) = 𝑷((𝑨Ո𝑩)Ս(𝑨Ո𝑩))

𝑨Ո𝑩 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨Ո𝑩 are Mutually Exclusive.

𝑨Ո𝑩 Ո 𝑨Ո𝑩 = Փ

𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩 Ս 𝑨Ո𝑩 = 𝑷 𝑨Ո𝑩 + 𝑷(𝑨Ո𝑩)

= 𝟎. 𝟐 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟒
= 𝟎. 𝟒𝟒

6. The probability that a new ship will get an award for its design is 0.25, the probability
that it will get an award for the efficient use of materials is 0.35 and that it will get award
for both is 0.15. Find the probability that (i). It will get atleast one of the two awards (ii). It
will get only one of the awards. (Ans: 0.45, 0.3)
7. A herd contains 30 cows numbered from 1 to 30. One cow is selected at random. Find
the probability that the number of the selected cow is a multiple of 5 or 6. (Ans: 0.3333)
8. A number was drawn at random from the number 1 to 50. What is the probability that
it will be a multiple of 2 or 3 or 10?(Ans: 0.66)