SOLUTION: Find P(A and B). (Give your answer correct to two decimal places.) A and B are independent events, P(A) = 0.51 and P(B) = 0.46

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Question 786223: Find P(A and B). (Give your answer correct to two decimal places.)
A and B are independent events,
P(A) = 0.51 and P(B) = 0.46

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20060)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Since these events A and B are independent, which means that
if we knew that one of them were certain, it wouldn't change the 
probability of the other one bit.  It means these two formulas:

P(A given B) = P(A)  

P(B given A) = P(B)

They can be shown to imply the formula

P(A and B) = P(A)·P(B) 

which works ONLY when A, B are independent events.

So multiply the two probabilities P(A) = 0.51, and P(B) = 0.46 


-------------------------------------
Note:
Warning:  In other problems don't just assume that
the formula:
P(A and B) = P(A)·P(B), 
will always work.  It doesn't always work. Only use it if
you are sure the events A and B are independent (knowing A
does not affect the probability of B or vice-versa). 

The only "safe" formulas are

P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A and B)

P(A given B) = 

P(B given A) = 

That formula: P(A and B) = P(A)·P(B)

only works if A and B are independent. 

It does NOT work for dependent events, and therefore it certainly
does not work in the case of mutually exclusive events, which is
the extreme case of dependent events. 
  
That's just a warning about the use of that formula.

Edwin


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