DIAGRAMS IN PROBABILITY

Diagrams are helpful when there are two or more events occurring at the same time
(or simultaneously).
There are 3 to consider
 Possibility Space
 Venn diagrams
 Tree Diagrams

Possibility space
 Also called sample space.
 Comprises of a table

EXAMPLE 1: Two fair dice (green and a blue) were tossed. Construct the
possibility space diagram for the outcomes.
The outcome
when two 6 s
are seen
GREEN DIE

BLUE DIE

If S represent the sum of the outcomes the construct the possibility space diagram.
GREEN DIE

Indicated that +
the scores are
found by BLUE DIE
adding
Hence
The numbers will be 4 and less:
3 set of 4
2 set of 3
1 set of 2

There are 36
outcomes
together.

The numbers will be 10 and more:

3 set of 10 s
2 set of 11 s
1 set of 12

See the video link for the demonstration of the Space diagram:
https://youtu.be/Xqno7W0OUtE
Venn Diagram
 Comprises of subsets
 Utilizes the rules:
i. 𝑃(𝐴 ∪ 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴) + 𝑃(𝐵) − 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵)
ii. 𝑃(𝐴 ∩ 𝐵) = 𝑃(𝐴/𝐵) × 𝑃(𝐵)
iii. 𝑃(𝐴′ ) − 1 − 𝑃(𝐴)

EXAMPLE 1:A coin is flipped and a die is tossed. Calculate the probability that a
head and the number 6 is obtained.

We can solve this question without the Veen diagram, however let us consider the
diagram for these events.

Consider the probabilities of the two independent events

Hence

We can place ALL the probabilities on the Venn diagram shown below

𝑃(ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝐴𝑁𝐷 6) = 𝑃(𝐻 ∩ 𝑆)

See video link to view the demonstration of using the Venn Diagram:
https://youtu.be/ErJ2F8lWJKc

Tree diagram
 Comprises of nodes and branches
 Can be used for dependent and independent events
Consider the tree diagram below

The SUM of all

branches from a
node will be ONE.
EXAMPLE 2: A bag contains 3 black balls and 5white balls. A ball is chosen at
random and REPLACED. A second ball is chosen at random.

a) Construct a tree diagram to illustrate the data.

Let 𝑃(𝐵) represent the probability of a blackball
Let 𝑃(𝑊) represent the probability of a white ball
A black ball
AND a black
ball is drawn
hence
1 − 𝑃(𝐵) MULTIPLY

b) Calculate the probability that

(i) two black blue balls are chosen

(ii) a black ball is chosen on the 2nd pick. Means to ADD

See video link to view how to draw a tree diagram:

https://youtu.be/mkDzmI7YOx0
https://youtu.be/IYxyTX1lK5U