Vocabulary for Probability

  1. Combination: An arrangement of items or events in which order does not matter. (p. 564)
  2. (Simple) Event:An outcome or set of outcomes of an experiment or situation. (p. 522)
  3. Experiment:In probability, any activity based on chance (such as tossing a coin). (p. 522)
  4. Experimental probability:The ratio of the number of times an event occurs to the total number of trials, or times that the activity is performed. (p. 527)
  5. Factorial:The product of all whole numbers except zero that are less than or equal to a number. (p. 563)
  6. Outcomes:A possible result of a probability experiment. (p. 522)
  7. Permutation:An arrangement of items or events in which order is important. (p. 563)
  8. Probability:A number from 0 to 1 (or 0% to 100%) that describes how likely an event is to occur. (p. 522)
  9. Theoretical Probability:The ratio of the number of equally likely outcomes in an event to the total number of possible outcomes. (p.540)
  10. Tree Diagram:A branching diagram that shows all possible combinations or outcomes of an event. (p. 522)
  11. Independent Events:Events for which the outcome of one event does not affect the probability of the other. (p. 545)
  12. Dependent Events:Events for which the outcome of one event affects the probability of the other. (p. 545)
  13. Random sample:A sample in which each individual or object in the entire population has an equal chance of being selected. (p. 462)
  14. Sample space:All possible outcomes of an experiment. (p. 522)
  15. Biased sample/Unfair:A sample that does not fairly represent the population. (p. 463)

Examples:

1.Combination: For objects A, B, C, and D, there are 6 different combinations of 2 objects: AB, AC, AD, BC, BD, CD.

2.(Simple) Event:When rolling a number cube, the event “an odd number” consists of the outcomes 1, 3, and 5.

3.Experiment:Tossing a coin 10 times and noting the number of “heads”.

4.Experimental probability:Kendra attempted 27 free throws and made 16 of them. Her experimental probability of making a free throw is

Number made=16 = 0.59

Number attempted27

5.Factorial:4 factorial = 4! = 4*3*2*1 = 24

6.Outcomes:When rolling a number cube, the possible outcomes are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

7.Permutation:For objects A, B, and C, there are 6 different permutations: ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA.

8.Probability:A bag contains 3 red marbles and 4 blue marbles. The probability of randomly choosing a red marble is3/7.

9.Theoretical Probability:When rolling a number cube, the theoretical probability of rolling a 4 is 1/6.

10.Tree Diagram:

11.Independent Events:A bag contains 3 red marbles and 2 blue marbles. Drawing a red marble, replacing it, and then drawing a blue marble is an example of independent events.

12.Dependent Events:A bag contains 3 red marbles and 2 blue marbles. Drawing a red marble and then drawing a blue marble without replacing the first marble is an example of dependent events.

13.Random sample:

14.Sample space:When rolling a number cube, the sample space is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

15. Biased sample/Unfair: