1. Probability Space
A Probability Space is a mathematical framework for modeling random experiments. It consists of three components:
(S,F,P)
-
Sample Space (S)
- The set of all possible outcomes of an experiment.
- Example: Tossing a coin → S={H,T}
-
Event Space (F)
- A collection of events, which are subsets of the sample space.
- Example: Event "Head occurs" → E={H}
-
Probability Measure (P)
- A function that assigns a probability to each event in F.
- Must satisfy axioms of probability.
2. Axioms of Probability (Kolmogorov’s Axioms)
Let E be any event in a sample space S. Then:
-
Non-negativity
P(E)≥0
- Probability can’t be negative.
-
Normalization
P(S)=1
- The probability of the sample space is 1 (certainty).
-
Additivity (for mutually exclusive events)
If E1∩E2=∅, then P(E1∪E2)=P(E1)+P(E2)
- Probability of union of disjoint events is sum of their probabilities.
3. Basic Laws/Rules of Probability
1. Complementary Rule
P(E′)=1−P(E)
- E′ = event that does not occur
2. Addition Rule
- For any two events A and B:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
- If A and B are mutually exclusive, then P(A∩B)=0, so:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)
3. Multiplication Rule
4. Total Probability Law
- If events E1,E2,...,En form a partition of the sample space:
P(A)=i=1∑nP(A∣Ei)⋅P(Ei)
5. Bayes’ Theorem (Inverse Probability)
P(Ei∣A)=∑j=1nP(A∣Ej)⋅P(Ej)P(A∣Ei)⋅P(Ei)
- Used to update probabilities based on new evidence.
4. Summary
| Concept |
Meaning |
| Sample Space (S) |
All possible outcomes |
| Event (E) |
Subset of S |
| Probability (P(E)) |
Measure of likelihood of E |
| Axioms |
Non-negative, sum=1, additive |
| Rules |
Complement, Addition, Multiplication, Total Probability, Bayes |
Key Points to Remember
- Probability spaces provide a formal foundation for probability theory.
- Laws of probability ensure probabilities are consistent and can be used for computations.
- Understanding dependent vs independent events is crucial for multiplication rule.