Probability- A Theoretical Approach
Chapter Name : Probability |
Sub Topic Code : 104_10_15_02_02 |
Topic Name : Probability- A Theoretical Approach |
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Sub Topic Name : Some Examples |
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Introduction
Bill says "Don't buy the avocados here; about half the time, they're rotten". Bill is expressing his belief about the probability of an event — that an avocado will be rotten — based on his personal experience. Such probabilities are experimental.
Pre-Requisites:
Idea about numbers, theoretical & experimental probability.
Activity:
You roll a six-sided die whose sides are numbered from 1 through 6. Find the probability of (a) Rolling a 4, (b) Rolling an odd number, and (c) Rolling a number less than 7.
Real Life Question:
Andy buys a fish from a shop for his aquarium. The shopkeeper takes out one fish at random from a tank containing 5 male fish and 8 female fish. What is the probability that the fish taken out is a male fish?
Key Words / FlashCards
| Key Words | Definitions (pref. in our own words) |
|---|---|
| Probability of an event | When all events are equally likely then the probability of an event A is given by P(A). P(A)= (number of outcomes in A)/(total number of outcomes) |
Learning aids / Gadgets
| Gadgets | How it can be used |
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Real life uses :
Probability theory as a branch of mathematics arose in the seventeenth century when French gamblers asked Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat (both well known pioneers in mathematics) for help in their gambling. Probabilities is used to control the flow of traffic through a highway system, a telephone interchange, or a computer processor; find the genetic makeup of individuals or populations; figure out the energy states of subatomic particles; Estimate the spread of rumors; and predict the rate of return in risky investments.
Practical examples around us
| Examples | Explainations |
|---|---|
| Weather forecasting | Meteorologists use probability based on the data collected over the year to forecast the weather. |
| Gambling | Gamblers use probability to predict the next number. |
| Statistics | Medical researchers use statistics to establish the likelihood that a drug or treatment will be effective. |
| Opinion Polls | Used to predict which candidate would win the election. |
What you learn in Theory:
What is the probability of an event?
What you learn in Practice:
How to find the probability of an event?