Q.The probability that at least one of the events A and B occurs is 0.6. If A and B occur simultaneously with probability 0.2, then P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ) is
(A) 0.4
(B) 0.8
(C) 1.2
(D) 1.6
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Probability Addition Rule
The Intuition: "Or" Means We Add — But Carefully
Imagine you have a bag of 20 marbles: 5 red, 3 blue, and 12 green. You pick one marble at random.
What's the probability that the marble is red or blue?
Your instinct might be: count the red ones (5), count the blue ones (3), add them up (8), and divide by total marbles (20). That gives 208=0.4.
That works perfectly here. Why? Because no marble is both red and blue. The events "red" and "blue" cannot happen at the same time — they are mutually exclusive.
Now change the problem. The bag has 20 marbles: 5 red, 3 blue, and 4 striped red-and-blue marbles (counted in both colours). The rest are plain green.
What's the probability of picking a marble that is red or blue?
If you just add red (5 + 4 striped = 9) and blue (3 + 4 striped = 7), you get 16. But that double-counts the 4 striped marbles — they are both red and blue. The correct count is: red-only (5) + blue-only (3) + striped (4) = 12. Probability = 2012=0.6.
The simple addition overcounts when events can happen together. That's the core problem the Addition Rule solves.
The Precise Statement
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
Where:
- P(A∪B) = probability that A or B (or both) occur
- P(A∩B) = probability that both A and B occur together
The subtraction of P(A∩B) removes the double-counted overlap.
Two Special Cases
Case 1: Mutually exclusive events (can't happen together)
If A and B cannot both occur, then P(A∩B)=0, and the rule simplifies to:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)
This is the "red or blue marble" case — no overlap, so just add.
Case 2: Events that can overlap (general case)
You must subtract the overlap. This is the "striped marble" case.
A common mistake: forgetting to subtract the overlap when events can happen together. Always ask: "Can both events occur at the same time?" If yes, you need the subtraction.
Why It Works — A Visual Argument
Draw a rectangle for all possible outcomes. Inside, draw two overlapping circles — one for event A, one for event B. The overlap region is A∩B.
- P(A) counts everything in circle A.
- P(B) counts everything in circle B.
- Adding them counts the overlap twice.
- Subtracting P(A∩B) once corrects that.
The result is exactly the area covered by either circle — which is P(A∪B).
Worked Example
A class has 30 students. 18 play cricket, 15 play football, and 8 play both. One student is chosen at random.
Question: What's the probability the student plays cricket or football?
Let C = plays cricket, F = plays football.
P(C)=3018, P(F)=3015, P(C∩F)=308
Using the rule: …
Concept: Probability Addition Rule
We are given:
P(A∪B)=0.6 and P(A∩B)=0.2.
Step 1: By the addition rule,
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B).
So 0.6=P(A)+P(B)−0.2, giving P(A)+P(B)=0.8.
Step 2: We need P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ). …
The key idea is to use the addition rule for probability: P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B). Given P(A∪B)=0.6 and P(A∩B)=0.2, we find P(A)+P(B)=0.8. Then P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ)=2−[P(A)+P(B)]=1.2. The correct option is (C).
The problem asks for P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ), the sum of the probabilities of the complements of A and B. A natural starting point is to recall that the complement of an event has probability 1 minus the event's probability. So:
P(Aˉ)=1−P(A)andP(Bˉ)=1−P(B)
Adding these gives:
P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ)=2−[P(A)+P(B)]
Thus, if we can find P(A)+P(B), we are done. The given data involves P(A∪B) (at least one occurs) and P(A∩B) (both occur). The addition rule of probability connects these:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
This rule is intuitive: when we add P(A) and P(B), we double-count the overlap P(A∩B), so we subtract it once to get the probability of the union.
- Write the addition rule with the given numbers. We have P(A∪B)=0.6 and P(A∩B)=0.2. Substituting:
0.6=P(A)+P(B)−0.2
- Solve for P(A)+P(B). Add 0.2 to both sides:
P(A)+P(B)=0.6+0.2=0.8
- Now find P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ). Using the complement relation: P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ)=2−[P(A)+P(B)]=2−0.8=1.2 …
- COMEDK 2026Set 2026-A1 markMCQQ.If P(A∪B)=0.85,P(B)=0.50 and P(A∩B)=0.30. Then P(A∩B′)= (A) 0.65 (B) 0.55 (C) 0.35 (D) 0.2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using the inclusion–exclusion principle, we find P(A)=0.65, then P(A∩B′)=P(A)−P(A∩B)=0.35. The correct option is (C).
We are given P(A∪B)=0.85, P(B)=0.50, and P(A∩B)=0.30. We need P(A∩B′), the probability that A occurs but B does not.
Concept and intuition:
The event A∩B′ is the part of A that lies outside B. A classic way to find it is to first find P(A) using the inclusion–exclusion formula for the union, then subtract the overlap P(A∩B). This works because A is partitioned into two disjoint parts: A∩B and A∩B′.
- Use inclusion–exclusion to find P(A). The formula for the union of two events is:
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
Substitute the known values:
0.85=P(A)+0.50−0.30
Simplify:
0.85=P(A)+0.20
So:
P(A)=0.85−0.20=0.65
- Find P(A∩B′) using the partition of A. Since A is the union of the disjoint events A∩B and A∩B′, we have:
P(A)=P(A∩B)+P(A∩B′)
Rearranging:
- KCET 2026Set UNKNOWN1 markMCQQ.Probability of at least one of the events A and B occur is 0.6. If A and B occur simultaneously with probability 0.2, then P(Aˉ)+P(Bˉ) is (A) 1 (B) 0.8 (C) 0.6 (D) 1.2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the addition rule to find P(A)+P(B) from P(A∪B) and P(A∩B), then apply the complement rule.
Step 1 — Write what's given
P(A∪B)=0.6 and P(A∩B)=0.2.
Step 2 — Find P(A)+P(B)
By the addition theorem of probability, P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B), so
P(A)+P(B)=P(A∪B)+P(A∩B)=0.6+0.2=0.8 …
- KCET 2025Set A-11 markMCQQ.A die has two face each with number ‘1’, three faces each with number ‘2’ and one face with number ‘3’. If the die is rolled once, then P(1 or 3) is (A) 32 (B) 21 (C) 31 (D) 61
›Reveal solutionSolution
Count the favourable faces (2 showing '1' + 1 showing '3' = 3 faces) out of 6 equally likely faces, giving 3/6=1/2.
Step 1 — Set up the sample space.
A die has 6 faces, and rolling it fairly makes each face equally likely. The stem tells us how the numbers are distributed across those faces:
Number on face How many faces 1 2 faces 2 3 faces 3 1 face Total 6 faces ✓ (Good — the counts add to 6, so the description is consistent.)
The crucial subtlety: the equally likely outcomes are the six FACES, not the three distinct numbers. The numbers are not equally likely, because different numbers occupy different numbers of faces. Falling for "there are 3 possible numbers, two of them are favourable, so 2/3" is the trap that produces option (A).
Step 2 — Find the individual probabilities.
Using the classical definition P(E)=total number of outcomesnumber of favourable outcomes:
P(1)=6faces showing 1=62,P(3)=6faces showing 3=61.
(For completeness, P(2)=63, and 62+63+61=1 ✓ — the probabilities sum to 1, confirming our model.)
Step 3 — The concept: addition rule for mutually exclusive events.
A single roll cannot show a '1' and a '3' at the same time — the events are mutually exclusive, so P(1∩3)=0. The addition rule
P(A∪B)=P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
therefore reduces to simply
P(1 or 3)=P(1)+P(3).
Step 4 — Compute.
P(1 or 3)=62+61=63=21. …
- COMEDK 2024Set 2024-A1 markMCQQ.There are some baskets. The chances of picking a loaded basket and choosing a red coloured one is 0.2 . For every 100 tries to pick one basket, 60 times a basket is either loaded or red in colour. What is the probability of choosing an empty basket plus choosing not a red coloured one. (A) 1.2 (B) 0.4 (C) 1.3 (D) 0.8
›Reveal solutionSolution
From P(L∪R)=P(L)+P(R)−P(L∩R), P(L)+P(R)=0.8; so P(L′)+P(R′)=2−0.8=1.2.
Step 1 — Set up. Let L = 'loaded' and R = 'red'. Given P(L∩R)=0.2 and P(L∪R)=0.6 (a basket is either loaded or red 60 times per 100).
Step 2 — Inclusion–exclusion.
P(L∪R)=P(L)+P(R)−P(L∩R)
0.6=P(L)+P(R)−0.2⇒P(L)+P(R)=0.8 …
- KCET 2023Set A-21 markMCQQ.If A and B are events such that P(A)=41, P(A/B)=21 and P(B/A)=32 then P(B) is (A) 31 (B) 32 (C) 21 (D) 61
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use P(B/A) with P(A) to get P(A∩B)=61, then divide by P(A/B)=21 to get P(B)=31.
- Conditional probability definition.
P(B∣A)=P(A)P(A∩B),P(A∣B)=P(B)P(A∩B)
- Find P(A∩B) from the first relation, using P(A)=41 and P(B∣A)=32:
P(A∩B)=P(B∣A)⋅P(A)=32×41=61
- Find P(B) from the second relation, using P(A∣B)=21: …
- KCET 2022Set C-41 markMCQQ.A perpendicular has been spreading all over the world. The probabilities are 0.7 that there will be a lockdown, 0.8 that eh pandemic is controlled in one month if there is a lockdown and 0.3 that it is controlled in one month if there is no lockdown. The probability that the pandemic will be controlled in one month is (A) 1.65 (B) 1.46 (C) 0.46 (D) 0.65
›Reveal solutionSolution
The two mutually exclusive scenarios 'lockdown' and 'no lockdown' partition the sample space, so use the law of total probability: P(C)=P(L)P(C∣L)+P(L′)P(C∣L′).
Step 1 — Name the events.
Let
- L = there is a lockdown, so L′ = there is no lockdown,
- C = the pandemic is controlled within one month.
Step 2 — Extract the given data.
P(L)=0.7⟹P(L′)=1−0.7=0.3
P(C∣L)=0.8(controlled, given a lockdown)
P(C∣L′)=0.3(controlled, given no lockdown)
Step 3 — Why the total-probability theorem applies.
L and L′ are mutually exclusive and exhaustive — exactly one of them must happen. They therefore partition the sample space, and the event C can only occur through one of these two routes. The theorem of total probability then says
P(C)=P(L)P(C∣L)+P(L′)P(C∣L′).
(Intuitively: 'weight each pathway's success rate by how likely that pathway is, then add.')
Step 4 — Substitute.
P(C)=(0.7)(0.8)+(0.3)(0.3) …
- COMEDK 2022Set 20221 markMCQQ.If the probability for A to fail in an examination is 0.2 and that for B is 0.3, then the probability that either A or B fail is (A) 0.38 (B) 0.44 (C) 0.50 (D) 0.94
›Reveal solutionSolution
P(A or B fails) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A and B) = 0.2 + 0.3 - 0.06 = 0.44
Concept: Addition rule for independent events.
P(A fails) = 0.2 , P(B fails) = 0.3 ; the two events are independent.
P(A and B both fail) = 0.2 * 0.3 = 0.06 …
- KCET 2020Set A-11 markMCQQ.If A, B, C are three mutually exclusive and exhaustive events of an experiment such that P(A)=2P(B)=3P(C), then P(B) is equal to (A) 111 (B) 112 (C) 113 (D) 114
›Reveal solutionSolution
Since A, B, C are mutually exclusive and exhaustive, their probabilities sum to 1. Using the given relation P(A)=2P(B)=3P(C), we express all in terms of P(B) and solve. The answer is 113, option (C).
The key idea here is the Addition Rule for mutually exclusive events: if events cannot happen together, the probability that any of them occurs is just the sum of their individual probabilities. And "exhaustive" means that together they cover all possible outcomes — so that sum must equal 1.
Let’s unpack the relation P(A)=2P(B)=3P(C). This is a chain of equalities. It tells us that P(A) is twice P(B), and also three times P(C). So we can write everything in terms of a single variable — the most natural choice is P(B).
- From P(A)=2P(B), we have P(A)=2P(B).
- From 2P(B)=3P(C), we get P(C)=32P(B).
Now, because A, B, C are mutually exclusive and exhaustive:
P(A)+P(B)+P(C)=1
Substitute the expressions:
2P(B)+P(B)+32P(B)=1
Combine the terms. Write 2P(B)=36P(B) and P(B)=33P(B), so:
36P(B)+33P(B)+32P(B)=1
36+3+2P(B)=1
311P(B)=1 …
- KCET 2019Set A-11 markMCQQ.If 'X' has a binomial distribution with parameters n=6, p and P(X=2)=12, P(X=3)=5 then P= (A) 125 (B) 2116 (C) 21 (D) 165
›Reveal solutionSolution
Take the ratio of the two binomial probabilities so that the powers of p and q cancel, and solve the resulting linear relation between p and q.
Step 1 — Write the binomial law.
For X∼B(n=6,p), with q=1−p:
P(X=r)=6Crprq6−r,6C2=15,6C3=20.
Step 2 — Use the given data as a ratio.
(The printed values 12 and 5 cannot be probabilities — a probability never exceeds 1 — so the only meaningful reading is that they are in the ratio 12:5.)
P(X=3)P(X=2)=20p3q315p2q4=43⋅pq=512
Step 3 — Solve.
pq=512⋅34=516⇒q=516p.
With p+q=1:
p+516p=1⇒521p=1⇒p=215,q=2116.
Step 4 — Match the options. …
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