Union of Events

Probability of Union of Two Events

If A and B are events in the same sample space,
then the probability of A or B occurring is:

P(A + B) = P(A U B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A ∩ B)

If A ∩ B is an empty set, then A and B are mutually
exclusive events and:
P(A U B) = P(A U B) = P(A) + P(B)
 A B C
6 6 3 5
2
1

P(A or C) = ?
P(A or B) = ?
 Examples:
1. Fifteen balls in a jar are numbered from 1 to 15. A
ball is drawn at random. Find the probability that
number on the ball is:
A. Less than 6.
B. Greater than 9.
C. Less than 6 or Greater than 9.
2. A card is drawn at random from a deck of playing 52
playing cards. Find the probability that the card drawn is:
a. an ace or a king
b. a king or a diamond
3. One marble is to be drawn from a jar containing 3 green
marbles, 4 blue marbles, and 5 maroon marbles. Determine
the probability that the marble drawn is:
a. green
b. not blue c. maroon or blue
1. A card is drawn at random from a deck of playing 52 playing
cards. Find the probability that the card drawn is:
a. an ace or a jack
b. an diamond or face card
c. an spade or an ace
d. an heart or a queen
2. What is the probability of rolling either a 7 or 11 a pair of dice?
3. A box contains 5 white balls, 6 red balls and 4 blue balls. What is
the probability of drawing a white ball or red ball?
4. A cube with A, B, C, D, E, and F on its faces is rolled. What is the
probability of rolling a vowel or a letter in the word FRAUD?