UNIVERSIDAD DE MONTERREY

VICERRECTORÍA DE EDUCACIÓN MEDIA SUPERIOR

ACADEMIA DE MATEMÁTICAS
PROGRAMA MULTICULTURAL
CÁLCULO I

Guide 4 – Conditional Probability

Conditional probability
In a class of 25 students, 16 students study French, 11 students study Italian and 4
students study neither language. This information can be shown in a Venn diagram.

Suppose that a student is chosen at random from the class. We can use the techniques we
have looked at already to find the probability that:

a. The student studies French and Italian.

b. The student studies exactly one language.

 c. The student does not study two languages.

What is the probability that a student chosen at random studies French, given that the
student studies Italian?

Note: This requires a different approach because there is an extra condition: the student
studies Italian.

The probability that a student studies French given that the student studies Italian is an
example of conditional probability. It is written 𝑃(𝐹|𝐼).

Given that 𝑰 has definitely occurred, then we are restricted to set 𝐼 (the shaded area),
rather than choosing from the universal set (the rectangle).

If we now want to determine the probability that 𝐹 has also occurred, then we consider that
part of 𝐹 which also lies within 𝐼 - the intersection of 𝐹 and 𝐼 (darkest shading).

The conditional probability, the probability that a student studies French given that the
student studies Italian is:

𝑛(𝐹 ∩ 𝐼) 6
𝑃(𝐹|𝐼) = =
𝑛(𝐼) 11
The conditional probability that 𝐴 occurs given that 𝐵 has occurred is written as 𝑃(𝐴|𝐵)
and is defined as:

𝒏(𝑨 ∩ 𝑩)
𝑷(𝑨|𝑩) =
𝒏(𝑩)

Example 1

In a class of 29 students, 20 study French, 15 study Italian, and 8 students study both
languages. A student is chosen at random from the class.
Find the probability that the student:

a. Studies French.

b. Studies neither language.

c. Studies at least one language.

d. Studies both languages.

e. Studies Italian given that they study French.

f. Studies French given that they study Italian.

g. Studies both languages given that they study at least one of the languages.

𝑛([𝐹 ∩ 𝐼] ∩ [𝐹 ∪ 𝐼])
𝑃(𝐹 ∩ 𝐼|𝐹 ∪ 𝐼) =
𝑛(𝐹 ∪ 𝐼)
8
𝑃(𝐹 ∩ 𝐼|𝐹 ∪ 𝐼) =
27
 UNIVERSIDAD DE MONTERREY
VICERRECTORÍA DE EDUCACIÓN MEDIA SUPERIOR
ACADEMIA DE MATEMÁTICAS
PROGRAMA MULTICULTURAL
CÁLCULO I

Lab 4 – Conditional Probability

Name: ___________________________________ ID: ___________

1. Find the probability that a person chosen at random:

a. Is in 𝐴 b. Is not in either 𝐴 or 𝐵.

c. Is not in 𝐴 and not in 𝐵. d. Is in 𝐴, given that they are not in

𝐵.

e. Is in 𝐵, given that they are in 𝐴. f. Is in both 𝐴 and 𝐵, given that they

are in 𝐴.
2. The Venn diagram shows the number of students who take Biology and/or Chemistry
in a class.
Use the Venn diagram to find the probability that a student chosen at random from
the class:

a. Takes Biology but not Chemistry b. Takes at least one of the two subjects

c. Takes Chemistry given that the d. Is a Chemist given that the student
student takes Biology. takes exactly one of the two
subjects.

3. The Venn diagram shows the number of students who take Art and/or Drama in a
class.
Use the Venn diagram to find the probability that a student chosen at random from
the class:

a. Takes Drama but not Art. b. Takes Drama given that they take
Art.

c. Takes both subjects given that d. Takes neither subject.

they take Drama.
 UNIVERSIDAD DE MONTERREY
VICERRECTORÍA DE EDUCACIÓN MEDIA SUPERIOR
ACADEMIA DE MATEMÁTICAS
PROGRAMA MULTICULTURAL
CÁLCULO I

e. Takes Drama given that they take exactly one of the two subjects.

4. The Venn diagram shows the number of students who take Geography and/or History
in a class.
Use the Venn diagram to find the probability that a student chosen at random from
the class:

a. Takes Geography but not History b. Takes Geography given that they do
not take History

c. Takes History, given that take at least d. Takes Geography given that they take
one of the two subjects History

e. Takes Geography given that they take exactly one of the two subjects
 5. Find the probability that a randomly selected person:

a. Is not in 𝐴
b. Is neither in 𝐴 nor in 𝐵
c. Is not in both A and B given that they are in B
d. Is not in A given that they are not in B
e. Is in B given that they are in A
f. Is in both A and B, given that they are not in A

6. Find the probability that a person chosen at random:

a. Is in B but not in A
b. Is not in A or B
c. Is in B and not in A
d. Is in A given that they are not in B
e. Is in B given that they are in A
f. Is not in both A and B, given that they are in A.

7. Find the probability that a person chosen at random:

a. Is in 𝐴 but not in both A and B

b. Is not in A and not in both
 c. Is not in both A and B
d. Is in A given that they are not in B
e. Is in B given that they are in A
f. Is not in A given that they are not in B

8. In a class of 40 students, 23 have dark hair, 18 have brown eyes, and 26 have dark
hair, brown eyes, or both. A child is selected at random. Determine the probability that
the child will have:
a. Dark hair and brown eyes. b. Neither dark hair nor brown eyes.
c. Dark hair, but no brown eyes. d. Brown eyes, since the child has dark hair.

9. 400 families were surveyed. It was found that 90% had a television and 60% had a
computer. Every family had at least one of these devices. IF one of these families is
randomly selected, find the probability that it has a TV set since it has a computer.

"This is my own work and was carried out in strict adherence to the honor code;
any text or reference that was not of my authorship is cited, including sources
extracted using artificial intelligence.
I am aware that any academic dishonesty is graded with zero and the protocols
apply according to the Academic Integrity Committee of Prepa UDEM."

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