Probability

of Simple
Events
 Probability of Simple Events
Objective:
Students will be able to find the probability of a
simple event.
Students will be able to understand the
distinction between simple events and
compound events.
Essential Question:
(1) How do I find the probability of a simple
event?
(2) How can I distinguish between a simple and
compound event?
 Probability of Simple Events
Vocabulary:
 Outcome – one possible result of a probability.
 Sample Space – the list of possible outcomes
for a probability event.
 Random – outcomes that occur at random if
each outcome is equally likely to occur.
 Simple Event – a specific outcome or type of
outcome.
Probability of Simple Events
Real World Example:
Best Buy is having an IPOD giveaway.
They put all the IPOD Shuffles in a
bag. Customers may choose an IPOD
without looking at the color. Inside the
bag are 4 orange, 5 blue, 6 green, and
5 pink IPODS. If Maria chooses one
IPOD at random, what is the probability
she will choose an orange IPOD?
Probability of Simple Events
Real World Example:
Best Buy is having an IPOD giveaway.
They put all the IPOD Shuffles in a
bag. Customers may choose an IPOD
without looking at the color. Inside the
bag are 4 orange, 5 blue, 6 green, and
5 pink IPODS. If Maria chooses one
IPOD at random, what is the probability
she will choose an orange IPOD?

P(orange) = 4/20 = 2/10 = 1/5 or 20%

Probability of Simple Events

What is a PROBABILITY?
- Probability is the chance that some
event will happen

- It is the ratio of the number of

ways a certain event can occur to
the number of possible outcomes
 Probability of Simple Events

What is a PROBABILITY?

number of favorable outcomes

P(event) =
number of possible outcomes

Examples that use Probability:

(1) Dice, (2) Spinners, (3) Coins, (4) Deck of
Cards, (5) Evens/Odds, (6) Alphabet, etc.
 Probability of Simple Events

What is a PROBABILITY?
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

0 ¼ or .25 ½ 0r .5 ¾ or .75 1

Impossible Less Equally Likely Most Certain

Likely Likely
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 1: Roll a dice.
What is the probability of rolling a 4?

# favorable outcomes
P(event) =
# possible outcomes

P(rolling a 4) = 1
6
The probability of rolling a 4 is 1 out of 6 or 16.7%.
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 2: Roll a dice.
What is the probability of rolling an even
number?

P(event) = # favorable outcomes

# possible outcomes
3 1
P(even #) = =
6 2
The probability of rolling an even number is 3 out of 6 or .5
or 50%
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 3: Spinners.
What is the probability of spinning green?

# favorable outcomes
P(event) =
# possible outcomes
1 1
P(green) = =
4 4
The probability of spinning green is 1 out of 4 or .25 or
25%
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 4: Flip a coin.
What is the probability of flipping a tail?

# favorable outcomes
P(event) =
# possible outcomes
1 1
P(tail) = =
2 2
The probability of spinning green is 1 out of 2 or .5 or 50%
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 5: Deck of Cards.
What is the probability of picking a heart?
# favorable outcomes 13 1
P(heart) = = =
# possible outcomes 52 4
The probability of picking a heart is
1 out of 4 or .25 or 25%
What is the probability of picking a non heart?
# favorable outcomes 39 3
P(nonheart) = = =
# possible outcomes 52 4
The probability of picking a heart is
3 out of 4 or .75 or 75%
Probability of Simple Events

Key Concepts:

- Probability is the chance that some

event will happen

- It is the ratio of the number of

ways a certain event can occur to
the total number of possible
outcomes.
Probability of Simple Events
Guided Practice: Calculate the probability
of each independent event.

1) P(black) = ½ or 50%
2) P(1) = 1/8 or 12.5%
3) P(12) = 0%
4) P(prime less than 5) =
¼ or 25%
5) P(less than 9) = 100%
 Probability of Simple Events

Real World Example:

A computer company manufactures 2,500
computers each day. An average of 100 of
these computers are returned with defects.
What is the probability that the computer
you purchased is not defective?

P(not defective) = # not defective = 2,400 = 24

total # manufactured 2,500 25
Two dice are rolled one at a time,
what is the probability that:
1/6 or 16.7%
 The sum of two numbers is 7.
 The sum of two numbers is 10. 1/12 or 8.3%

 The sum is 12. 1/36 or 2.8%

 At least one dice shows a 4. 11/36 or 30.6 %

 Both dice shows the same number.

1/6 or 16.7%
A family has 3 children Find the
probability of having:

3 boys 1/8 or 12.5%

2 girls and 1 boy 3/8 or 37.5%