Probability

of Simple
Events
 Probability of Simple Events
Objective:
Students will be able to interpret the ways in
finding the probability of a simple event.
Students will be able to solve the different
examples given.
Essential Question:
(1) How do I find the probability of a simple
event?
(2) How can I solve the different example given?
 Probability of Simple Events
Vocabulary:
 Outcome – one possible result of a probability.
 Sample Space – the list of possible outcomes
for a probability event.
 Random – outcomes that occur at random if
each outcome is equally likely to occur.
 Simple Event – a specific outcome or type of
outcome.
 Complementary Events – the events of one
outcome happening and that outcomes not
happening are complimentary; the sum of the
probabilities of complementary events is 1.
Probability of Simple Events
Real World Example:
Best Buy is having an IPOD giveaway.
They put all the IPOD Shuffles in a
bag. Customers may choose an IPOD
without looking at the color. Inside the
bag are 4 orange, 5 blue, 6 green, and
5 pink IPODS. If Maria chooses one
IPOD at random, what is the probability
she will choose an orange IPOD?
Probability of Simple Events
Real World Example:
Best Buy is having an IPOD giveaway.
They put all the IPOD Shuffles in a
bag. Customers may choose an IPOD
without looking at the color. Inside the
bag are 4 orange, 5 blue, 6 green, and
5 pink IPODS. If Maria chooses one
IPOD at random, what is the probability
she will choose an orange IPOD?

P(orange) = 4/20 = 2/10 = 1/5 or 20%

Probability of Simple Events

What is a PROBABILITY?
- Probability is the chance that some
event will happen

- It is the ratio of the number of

ways a certain event can occur to
the number of possible outcomes
 Probability of Simple Events

What is a PROBABILITY?

number of favorable outcomes

P(event) =
number of possible outcomes

Examples that use Probability:

(1) Dice, (2) Spinners, (3) Coins, (4) Deck of
Cards, (5) Evens/Odds, (6) Alphabet, etc.
 Probability of Simple Events

What is a PROBABILITY?
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

0 ¼ or .25 ½ 0r .5 ¾ or .75 1

Impossible Not Very Equally Likely Somewhat Certain

Likely Likely
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 1: Roll a dice.
What is the probability of rolling a 4?

# favorable outcomes
P(event) =
# possible outcomes

P(rolling a 4) = 1
6
The probability of rolling a 4 is 1 out of 6
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 2: Roll a dice.
What is the probability of rolling an even
number?

P(event) = # favorable outcomes

# possible outcomes
3 1
P(even #) = =
6 2
The probability of rolling an even number is 3 out of 6 or .5
or 50%
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 3: Spinners.
What is the probability of spinning green?

# favorable outcomes
P(event) =
# possible outcomes
1 1
P(green) = =
4 4
The probability of spinning green is 1 out of 4 or .25 or
25%
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 4: Flip a coin.
What is the probability of flipping a tail?

# favorable outcomes
P(event) =
# possible outcomes
1 1
P(tail) = =
2 2
The probability of spinning green is 1 out of 2 or .5 or 50%
 Probability of Simple Events
Example 5: Deck of Cards.
What is the probability of picking a heart?
# favorable outcomes 13 1
P(heart) = = =
# possible outcomes 52 4
The probability of picking a heart is
1 out of 4 or .25 or 25%
What is the probability of picking a non heart?
# favorable outcomes 39 3
P(nonheart) = = =
# possible outcomes 52 4
The probability of picking a heart is
3 out of 4 or .75 or 75%
Probability of Simple Events

Key Concepts:

- Probability is the chance that some

event will happen

- It is the ratio of the number of

ways a certain even can occur to
the total number of possible
outcomes
Probability of Simple Events

Guided Practice: Calculate the probability

of each independent event.

1) P(black) =
2) P(1) =
3) P(odd) =
4) P(prime) =
Probability of Simple Events

Guided Practice: Answers.

1) P(black) = 4/8
2) P(1) = 1/8
3) P(odd) = /21

4) P(prime) = /21
Probability of Simple Events

Independent Practice: Calculate the

probability of each independent event.

1) P(red) =
2) P(2) =
3) P(not red) =
4) P(even) =
Probability of Simple Events

Independent Practice: Answers.

1) P(red) = 1/2
2) P(2) = 1/4
3) P(not red) = /2
1

4) P(even) = /2
1
 Probability of Simple Events

Real World Example:

A computer company manufactures 2,500
computers each day. An average of 100 of
these computers are returned with defects.
What is the probability that the computer
you purchased is not defective?

P(not defective) = # not defective = 2,400 = 24

total # manufactured 2,500 25
Probability of Simple Events

Homework:
- Workbook Practice 11-1