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How do you interpret the result P(A∣B)=1/3P(A \mid B) = 1/3 in the set counting example?

The result P(A∣B)=1/3P(A \mid B) = 1/3 means that if event B has occurred, there is a one-in-three chance that event A has also occurred. In the specific example with nine equally likely outcomes, B contains 6 outcomes. Of these 6, only 2 are also in A (the intersection). Therefore, restricting our attention to the outcomes in B, the proportion that are also in A is 2/62/6, which simplifies to 1/31/3. This illustrates the concept of conditioning as restricting the sample space to the event B.

Conditions

  • The sample space consists of nine equally likely outcomes.
  • Event B has occurred.
  • We are evaluating the likelihood of A within the context of B.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Identify the total number of outcomes in event B.
  2. Identify the number of outcomes in the intersection of A and B.
  3. Calculate the ratio of the intersection size to the size of B.
  4. Interpret this ratio as the conditional probability of A given B.
  5. Relate this to the restriction of the sample space to B.

Example

The script states: 'In the nine equally likely outcomes, A contains five elements, B six, and their intersection two. Thus P(A∣B)=2/6=1/3P(A\mid B)=2/6=1/3.'

Common misconceptions

  • Interpreting 1/31/3 as the probability of A occurring in the entire sample space (which is 5/95/9).
  • Thinking that 1/31/3 is the probability of B given A.
  • Confusing the conditional probability with the joint probability (2/92/9).

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