Understanding Probability For Independent Events

Introduction

As we go about our daily lives, we are constantly making decisions based on the likelihood of certain events happening. We make choices based on the probability of an outcome, and this is where understanding probability for independent events is essential.

What are Independent Events?

Independent events are those where the outcome of one event has no bearing on the outcome of the other event. For example, flipping a coin twice is an independent event as the outcome of the first flip has no effect on the outcome of the second flip.

Examples of Independent Events

– Rolling a dice – Tossing a coin – Drawing a card from a deck

The Probability of Independent Events

The probability of an independent event occurring is calculated by multiplying the individual probabilities of each event. For example, if the probability of rolling a 6 on a dice is 1/6 and the probability of tossing a coin and getting heads is 1/2, the probability of rolling a 6 and getting heads is (1/6) x (1/2) = 1/12.

Events Table

Here is an events table for independent events:

Event	Probability
Rolling a 1 on a dice	1/6
Tossing a coin and getting tails	1/2
Drawing a spade from a deck of cards	1/4

Personal Experience

I recently took part in a game of chance where I had to spin a wheel with 10 equal sections, each numbered from 1 to 10. The aim of the game was to guess the number that the wheel would stop on, and if I was correct, I would win a prize.

Calculating Probability

As each section was equally sized, the probability of the wheel stopping on any given number was 1/10. As I had to guess the number correctly twice in a row to win the prize, the probability of me winning was (1/10) x (1/10) = 1/100.