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Name:___________________________________________ Date:___________

Common Core Algebra II Lesson 4- Independent Events


Opening Exercise
A hypothetical two-way table was created from the results of the 2016 presidential election
based on gender and preferred candidate.
Republican (𝑅) Democrat (𝐷) Other (𝑂) Total
Male (𝑀) 244 192 34 470
Female (𝐹) 217 286 27 530
Total 461 478 61 1000

Compute and interpret the following probabilities:


𝑃(𝑅) 𝑃(𝑅 and 𝑀) 𝑃(𝑅|𝑀)

1. Based on the probabilities you calculated above, is there an association between gender
and preferred candidate?

We say that two events are independent if knowing that one event has occurred does not
change the probability that the second event occurred.
2. Are the events “is male” and “preferred the Republican candidate” independent events?

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Common Core Algebra II Lesson 4- Independent Events

It is important to understand what it means for two events to be independent. To test if two
events 𝐴 and 𝐵 are independent is to say that
𝑃(𝐴) = 𝑃(𝐴|𝐵)

3. A survey of 57 sixth graders was done to determine which subject was their favorite. The
results are shown in the table below sorted by gender.

Math English Social Science Total


Studies
Female 8 6 10 6 30
Male 10 4 9 4 27
Total 18 10 19 10 57

Based on the data in this table, is preferring math as a favorite subject independent of the
student’s gender? Justify your response.

Based on the data in this table, is preferring social studies as a favorite subject independent
of the student’s gender? Justify your response.

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Common Core Algebra II Lesson 4- Independent Events

4. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and rapidly sank with only 710 of her
2,204 passengers and crew surviving. Some believe that the rescue procedures favored the
wealthier first class passengers. Data on survival of passengers are summarized in the table
below. We will use this data to investigate the validity of such claims.
Survived Did not survive Total
First class passengers 201 123 324
Second class passengers 118 166 284
Third class passengers 181 528 709
Total passengers 500 817 1317

Do these data suggest that a passenger’s class and survival status are independent of each
other? Justify your answer.

5. Airlines post the estimated arrival times for all of their flights. However, sometimes the
flights arrive later than expected. The following data report the number of flights that were
“on time” or “late” in November 2012 for all flights to Chicago and Los Angeles

Explain what it means to say that the events “arriving on time” and “Chicago” are
independent. Determine if these two events are independent.

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Common Core Algebra II Lesson 4- Independent Events

6. Today there is a 55% chance of rain, a 20% chance of lightning, and a 15% chance of
lighting and rain together. Are the two events “rain today” and “lightening today”
independent events? Justify your answer.

𝑃(𝐴 and 𝐵)
7. Assume that 𝐴 and 𝐵 are independent events. Remember that 𝑃(𝐴|𝐵) = .
𝑃(𝐵)

Solve for 𝑃(𝐴 and 𝐵) and make a substitution in the formula knowing that 𝐴 and 𝐵 are
independent.

Use this test to quickly determine if the two events are independent the question in
previous exercise.

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Name:___________________________________________ Date:___________
Common Core Algebra II Lesson 4- Independent Events

Homework
1. The results of a survey of the student body at Irondequoit High School about television
viewing preferences are shown below.

Are the events “student is female” and “student prefers drama series” independent of each
other? Justify your answer.

2. Given events 𝐴 and 𝐵, such that 𝑃(𝐴) = 0.6, 𝑃(𝐵) = 0.5, and 𝑃(𝐴 and 𝐵) = 0.3,
determine whether or not 𝐴 and 𝐵 are independent or dependent.

3. The results of a poll of 200 students are shown in the table below:
For this group of students, do these data suggest
that gender and preferred music styles are
independent of each other? Justify your answer.

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