Math 300 , Spring 2002, Day 11, W Feb 20 Hit reload to get most current versionAfter class

We'll start here Wednesday
Independence:  Read Ash pp 41-43.  You can skip "Method 2" and Prob of A before B.Read M&M 301-305, 356-57
(1) Definition: A and B are independent iff P(A and B) = P(A)·P(B)
Intuitive:  Event A and event B are independent if the occurrence or nonoccurence of one makes no difference to the probability of the other.
(2)   Formula:  P(B|A) = P(B)
(1) and (2)  are (almost) equivalent, since  P(B|A) = P(BandA)/P(A).  (proofs)

(3) By symmetry, then,  P(A|B) = P(A).

From the intuitive idea, it seems clear that  if A and B are independent then so are Acand B,   A and  Bc , and  Acand Bc
(Proofs: Handout)
Then P(B|Ac) = P(B) = P(B|A), the rest of the intuitive idea.

For constructing models:  we think not just of events being independent, but whole mechanisms or processes.  Every event in process A being independent of any event in process B. (e.g. Flip a coin, then draw a card from a deck)
Trees:  If two processes are independent, and can be thought of as sequential in a tree, all the branchings at the second stage will be identical, whatever the preceding result.

Homework:
Handout--show: If A and B are independent,  then so are Acand B,   A and  Bc , and  Acand Bc
Ash p. 45:  8,
   11.
   12 (is it the same for W on the 1st and the 2nd?  See "time blindness" , Monday)
 M&M p. 310 ff:   4.28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36  (Some may be repeats from last semester.  Solutions are in the Math Clinic)

What's Next? , review M&M pp. 312-317 (Random variables), Ash sec. 2.2 Multinomial and Binomial distributions. (Ash does Multinomial first, and Binomial as a special case.  This approach doesn't "privilege" the binomial "successes" as much as M&M's approach did.)


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