# Probability Basics ## Fundamental Definitions - $P(A) = \frac{\text{favorable outcomes}}{\text{total outcomes}}$ - $0 \leq P(A) \leq 1$ - $P(A') = 1 - P(A)$ (complement) - $P(S) = 1$ (sample space) ## Addition Rule - $P(A \cup B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A \cap B)$ - If A, B mutually exclusive: $P(A \cup B) = P(A) + P(B)$ - $P(A \cup B \cup C) = P(A) + P(B) + P(C) - P(A \cap B) - P(B \cap C) - P(A \cap C) + P(A \cap B \cap C)$ ## Conditional Probability $P(A|B) = \frac{P(A \cap B)}{P(B)}$ where $P(B) > 0$ ## Multiplication Rule - $P(A \cap B) = P(A) \cdot P(B|A) = P(B) \cdot P(A|B)$ - If A, B independent: $P(A \cap B) = P(A) \cdot P(B)$ ## Bayes' Theorem $P(A_i|B) = \frac{P(B|A_i) \cdot P(A_i)}{\sum_{j} P(B|A_j) \cdot P(A_j)}$ ## Total Probability $P(B) = \sum_{i} P(B|A_i) \cdot P(A_i)$ where $A_i$ form a partition of sample space ## Independence Events A, B are independent iff: - $P(A \cap B) = P(A) \cdot P(B)$ - $P(A|B) = P(A)$ - $P(B|A) = P(B)$ ## JEE Tips - Draw Venn diagrams for union/intersection problems - Use complementary counting: $P(A) = 1 - P(A')$ - For "at least one" problems: $P(\text{at least one}) = 1 - P(\text{none})$