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Q.If A and B are two independent events, where P(A)=13P (A) = \frac{1}{3} and P(B)=14P (B) = \frac{1}{4}, then P(B′∣A)P(B'|A) is equal to (A) 14\frac{1}{4} (B) 13\frac{1}{3}
(C) 34\frac{3}{4}
(D) 1

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2020MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
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For independent events, the occurrence of A gives no information about B, so P(B′∣A)=P(B′)=1−P(B)=34P(B'|A) = P(B') = 1 - P(B) = \frac{3}{4}.

The key here is conditional probability — the probability that B does not happen, given that A has already happened. Many students rush to plug numbers into the conditional probability formula without first checking whether the events are independent. That’s where the trap lies.

When two events are independent, knowing that one has occurred tells you nothing about the other. So P(B∣A)=P(B)P(B|A) = P(B). By the same logic, P(B′∣A)=P(B′)P(B'|A) = P(B'). The condition “given A” becomes irrelevant.

Let’s walk through it formally.

  1. Recall the definition of conditional probability For any two events A and B (with P(A)>0P(A) > 0):

P(B′∣A)=P(B′∩A)P(A)P(B'|A) = \frac{P(B' \cap A)}{P(A)}

This is always true. But we can simplify it if we know something about the relationship between A and B.

  1. Use the independence condition A and B are independent. That means:

P(A∩B)=P(A)⋅P(B)P(A \cap B) = P(A) \cdot P(B)

Independence also extends to complements: if A and B are independent, then A and B′B' are independent too.

Why? Because:

P(A∩B′)=P(A)−P(A∩B)=P(A)−P(A)P(B)=P(A)[1−P(B)]=P(A)P(B′)P(A \cap B') = P(A) - P(A \cap B) = P(A) - P(A)P(B) = P(A)[1 - P(B)] = P(A)P(B')

So AA and B′B' are independent.

  1. Apply independence to the conditional probability Since A and B′B' are independent:

P(B′∣A)=P(B′)P(B'|A) = P(B')

This is the cleanest path — no messy fraction needed.

  1. Compute P(B′)P(B') Given P(B)=14P(B) = \frac{1}{4}: P(B′)=1−P(B)=1−14=34P(B') = 1 - P(B) = 1 - \frac{1}{4} = \frac{3}{4} …

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