The events AA and BB are such that P(B)=13\mathrm{P}(B) = \frac{1}{3}, P(A∣B)=25\mathrm{P}(A|B) = \frac{2}{5} and P(A∪B)=35\mathrm{P}(A \cup B) = \frac{3}{5}.

  1. (i)

    Find P(A)\mathrm{P}(A) and hence, determine whether events AA and BB are independent.

  2. (ii)

    Find the exact value of P(A′∩B)\mathrm{P}(A' \cap B).

  3. (iii)

    For a third event CC, it is given that P(C)=12\mathrm{P}(C) = \frac{1}{2} and that AA and CC are mutually exclusive.

    Find exactly the greatest and least possible values of P(B′∩C)\mathrm{P}(B' \cap C).

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Worked solution

9(i)

1. Calculate the probability of the intersection of A and B using the conditional probability formula.

P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)×P(B)=25×13=215\mathrm{P}(A \cap B) = \mathrm{P}(A|B) \times \mathrm{P}(B) = \frac{2}{5} \times \frac{1}{3} = \frac{2}{15}

2. Find $\mathrm{P}(A)$ using the addition rule of probability.

P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)\mathrm{P}(A \cup B) = \mathrm{P}(A) + \mathrm{P}(B) - \mathrm{P}(A \cap B)
35=P(A)+13−215\frac{3}{5} = \mathrm{P}(A) + \frac{1}{3} - \frac{2}{15}
P(A)=35−13+215=9−5+215=615=25\mathrm{P}(A) = \frac{3}{5} - \frac{1}{3} + \frac{2}{15} = \frac{9 - 5 + 2}{15} = \frac{6}{15} = \frac{2}{5}

3. Determine if events A and B are independent by checking the mathematical conditions for independence.

Since P(A∣B)=25\mathrm{P}(A|B) = \frac{2}{5} and P(A)=25\mathrm{P}(A) = \frac{2}{5}, we observe that P(A∣B)=P(A)\mathrm{P}(A|B) = \mathrm{P}(A).

Alternatively, checking the product rule:
P(A)×P(B)=25×13=215\mathrm{P}(A) \times \mathrm{P}(B) = \frac{2}{5} \times \frac{1}{3} = \frac{2}{15}
Since P(A)×P(B)=P(A∩B)\mathrm{P}(A) \times \mathrm{P}(B) = \mathrm{P}(A \cap B), events AA and BB are independent.

Answer

P(A)=25\mathrm{P}(A) = \frac{2}{5}, events AA and BB are independent

9(ii)

1. Calculate the probability of the intersection of $A$ and $B$.

P(A∩B)=P(A∣B)P(B)=25×13=215\mathrm{P}(A \cap B) = \mathrm{P}(A|B)\mathrm{P}(B) = \frac{2}{5} \times \frac{1}{3} = \frac{2}{15}

2. Calculate $\mathrm{P}(A' \cap B)$ using the rule for the difference of events.

P(A′∩B)=P(B)−P(A∩B)=13−215=515−215=315=15\mathrm{P}(A' \cap B) = \mathrm{P}(B) - \mathrm{P}(A \cap B) = \frac{1}{3} - \frac{2}{15} = \frac{5}{15} - \frac{2}{15} = \frac{3}{15} = \frac{1}{5}

Answer

15\frac{1}{5}

9(iii)

1. Define variables for the probabilities of the relevant regions within $A'$ to formulate equations.

Since AA and CC are mutually exclusive, P(A∩C)=0\mathrm{P}(A \cap C) = 0. This means event CC occurs entirely within A′A'.
Let y=P(A′∩B′∩C)y = \mathrm{P}(A' \cap B' \cap C). Since P(A∩B′∩C)=0\mathrm{P}(A \cap B' \cap C) = 0, y=P(B′∩C)y = \mathrm{P}(B' \cap C).
Let x=P(A′∩B∩C)x = \mathrm{P}(A' \cap B \cap C).
Event CC is partitioned into its intersections with BB and B′B', so:
x+y=P(C)=12x + y = \mathrm{P}(C) = \frac{1}{2}

2. Use the probability of $A' \cap B$ and the non-negativity of probabilities to bound $x$ and find the least value of $y$.

From part (ii), we have P(A′∩B)=15\mathrm{P}(A' \cap B) = \frac{1}{5}.
The region A′∩BA' \cap B is partitioned by CC and C′C'. Thus, the probability of the part outside CC is:
P(A′∩B∩C′)=15−x\mathrm{P}(A' \cap B \cap C') = \frac{1}{5} - x
Since probabilities cannot be negative, 15−x≥0\frac{1}{5} - x \ge 0, which gives x≤15x \le \frac{1}{5}.
Substitute x=12−yx = \frac{1}{2} - y:
12−y≤15  ⟹  y≥12−15=310\frac{1}{2} - y \le \frac{1}{5} \implies y \ge \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{5} = \frac{3}{10}
The least possible value of P(B′∩C)\mathrm{P}(B' \cap C) is 310\frac{3}{10}.

3. Use the total probability of $A'$ to bound $y$ and find its greatest value.

From part (i), we established P(A)=25\mathrm{P}(A) = \frac{2}{5}, so P(A′)=1−25=35\mathrm{P}(A') = 1 - \frac{2}{5} = \frac{3}{5}.
Let z=P(A′∩B′∩C′)z = \mathrm{P}(A' \cap B' \cap C').
The event A′A' comprises four mutually exclusive regions, so their probabilities must sum to P(A′)\mathrm{P}(A'):
P(A′∩B∩C)+P(A′∩B∩C′)+P(A′∩B′∩C)+P(A′∩B′∩C′)=P(A′)\mathrm{P}(A' \cap B \cap C) + \mathrm{P}(A' \cap B \cap C') + \mathrm{P}(A' \cap B' \cap C) + \mathrm{P}(A' \cap B' \cap C') = \mathrm{P}(A')
x+(15−x)+y+z=35x + \left(\frac{1}{5} - x\right) + y + z = \frac{3}{5}
15+y+z=35  ⟹  y+z=25\frac{1}{5} + y + z = \frac{3}{5} \implies y + z = \frac{2}{5}
Since z≥0z \ge 0, we must have y≤25y \le \frac{2}{5}.
The greatest possible value of P(B′∩C)\mathrm{P}(B' \cap C) is 25\frac{2}{5}.

Answer

Greatest value =25= \frac{2}{5}, Least value =310= \frac{3}{10}

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